Unlike women, men are relatively spared from the health risks ofa lack of sleep. But they must suffer the consequences of their companion’s fatigue. Because yes, it’s official, women have a greater need to sleep than men.
Of the too short nights of sleepmake them grumpy and also more vulnerable physically and psychologically, according to an American study. Women show more markers of inflammation than men when they’re sleep deprived, putting them at risk for more health problems. In contrast, researchers at Duke University in North Carolina found that regardless of the number of hours of sleep, men’s health was not affected.
Do women need more brain rest than men?
“We found that women had more depression, were more angry and irascible in the morning after waking up,” says Dr. Breus, author of the study. If this reminds you of someone you know well (you?), maybe you should suggest getting more sleep to counter these side effects. Giving yourself a nap of 25 minutes to 90 minutes no more can make you feel better, advises the researcher.
Sleep is fundamental because it allows the cortex, an area of the brain responsible for thought, memories and language, to go into standby to better recover. “The more you use your intellect during the day, the more you need to rest at night.” According to the researchers, the versatility and flexibility of women, superior to men, would explain this increased need for sleep: “women tend to be multitaskers and they mobilize their brain functions more than men”. An argument that could well be useful the next time you want to spend more time in bed.
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