Women, Biology and Sleep

The 2007 NSF Sleep in America poll asked respondents about the quality and quantity of sleep. These findings were then analyzed within different biological stages of their lives.

Menstruating women (women of childbearing age) spend an average of 7 hours, 32 minutes in bed on weeknights, with 67% of these women reporting experiencing symptoms of insomnia at least a few nights each week. Of menstruating women:

• 16% say they have missed work one or more days in the past month due to a sleep problem.

• 34% say they experience symptoms of a sleep disorder like snoring, sleep apnea and/or RLS.

• One-third of menstruating women (33%) say that their sleep is disturbed the week of their cycle.

Pregnant women spend the most hours in bed per weeknight (8 hours, 14 minutes on average), however most pregnant women (84%) report symptoms of insomnia a few nights each week, with 40% also reporting signs of a sleep disorder such as snoring, sleep apnea and/or restless leg syndrome (RLS). Interestingly:

• 30% of pregnant women report that they rarely or never get a good night's sleep.

• Most pregnant women (82%) report getting significantly better sleep before their pregnancy.

• One percent of pregnant women report consuming alcohol, beer or wine within an hour of going to bed at least a few nights each week as a sleep aid.

• 54% of pregnant women report napping at least twice per week.

Post partum women spend less time in bed on weeknights than pregnant women (7 hours, 46 minutes on average), but they report the same frequency of symptoms of insomnia (84%). Of the women in this group, 42% report that they rarely or never get a good night's sleep " the highest frequency of all the groups.

• When asked what awakens them most during the night, 90% of post partum women say giving care to a child.

• Nearly one-half (47%) of post partum women say that they have no one helping them with childcare at night.

• 20% of post partum women say they have driven drowsy with children in the car.

• 35% of post partum women report experiencing symptoms of a sleep disorder such as snoring, sleep apnea and/or RLS.

• Among post partum women with a child who is 3 months old or younger, the child is most often sleeping in a crib in the parent's room (48%). Roughly one-fourth say their child sleeps in his/her own room (27%) or in the parent's bed (22%).

• About two in ten (19%) women in this category say they experience post partum blues or depression.

Perimenopausal women (women during their menopausal transition years) spend the least amount of time in bed on weeknights of all the groups (7 hours, 12 minutes on average). More than half (59%) of women in this life stage say they experience symptoms of insomnia at least a few nights each week.

• 43% of perimenopausal women report experiencing symptoms of a sleep disorder such as snoring, sleep apnea and/or RLS.

• Perimenopausal women cite noise (36%) and co-sleeping pets (20%) as awakening them most during the night. 20% of women in this category say they have a difficult time sleeping due to hot flashes or night sweats at least a few nights each week.

Postmenopausal women generally spend more than 7 hours in bed on weeknights (7 hours, 19 minutes on average), but of all the groups, postmenopausal women report the highest incidence (50%) of a sleep disorder such as snoring, sleep apnea and/or RLS.

• 61% of women in this life stage report experiencing some symptoms of insomnia at least a few nights each week.

• 41% say they use a sleep aid at least a few nights per week " the highest frequency of all the groups.

• 22% of postmenopausal women say they have a difficult time sleeping due to hot flashes or night sweats. A similar proportion (22%) report experiencing restless legs syndrome (RLS) at least a few nights each week. Symptoms of RLS appear more frequently in these individuals than in other segments.

• Postmenopausal women report the highest BMI's with 36% reporting that they are overweight and 30% that they are obese " a factor that plays a significant role in sleep disorders.

"Women are often blindsided by life and biology," said Meir Kryger, MD, director of research and education at the Gaylord Sleep Center and chair of the 2007 NSF Sleep in America poll task force. "As women go through different life stages, internal biological factors and external lifestyle factors have a huge impact on their ability to get a good sleep. Despite the life phase, it's important for women to choose to make healthy sleep a priority."