Have you ever released and turned at night, unable to reconcile the dream? You are not alone! Many people fight with sleep, but women often face additional challenges. A global NIH 2019 study He showed that women experience insomnia significantly more than men. Women are often caregivers, face mood disorders or experience hormonal changes that everyone can affect sleep.
The Association of Anxiety and Depression of America (ADAA) spoke with Christian F. Nunes MBA, MS, LCSW, president of the National Women’s Organization (now), to know why sleep is so important and what makes women difficult to rest well at night.
Why do we need to sleep?
The dream is like a restart button for the human body. Christian F. Nunes says: «Sleep health is very important, it is to rest for our bodies and for our brains.» Sleeping enough helps people feel happier, stay healthier and better concentrate on school or work. The dream can even change a person’s mood, increase the immune system and increase the ability to function.
What impacts sleep?
Nunes explains that there are many things that can make you have a bad night and spoil the clock of your body.
- Health or disease
- Mood disorders especially stress or anxiety
- Caffeine
- Bad lying routines, noise or screen use
What are common sleep problems?
- Insomnia: Problems to fall asleep or wake up many times during the night. Nunes says that people can have «constant thoughts that will not let their brains close.»
- Sleep apnea: breathing stops when it sleeps.
- Restless leg syndrome: neurological effect where the leg moves while sleeping.
Women and sleep
Nunes explains that hormonal changes have a huge impact on women’s bodies and change the way they sleep in several stages of life.
Preteen and adolescents face menstruation, hormonal changes, school pressure and social anxiety that can affect sleep.
Pregnant women have trouble feeling comfortable in bed, wake up to go to the bathroom and burn the heart.
Once he has a baby, Nunes says «his body is on his son’s watch.» Mothers care about whether their child is fine at night or if they deal with the sleep problems of their children caused by diseases or other factors.
Women who are in perimenopause or menopause have trouble sleeping, night sweats and feeling uncomfortable for changes in their body.
Sleeping solutions
You can rest easily. There are many simple and practical things that Nunes suggest helping him to sleep better. That means falling asleep faster, sleeping more deeply, improving sleep quality and waking up feeling renewed.
- Find an hour of regular sleep. Go to sleep within 30 minutes to let your body get used to a pattern.
- Try to avoid screen time for at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Mediate or listen to soothing music or relaxing sounds.
- Do not drink caffeine or eat a heavy meal too late.
- Be sure to have a comfortable sleeping space.
- Use a sleeping application.
If you have sleep problems for more than 2 weeks, you should see a professional. You want to make sure you have no health problem that causes your sleep problems. You can also see a licensed therapist to help if it has anxiety or underlying depression that causes its lack of sleep.
