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A new study examined why insomnia is more common in women than men.
The study analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The survey is unique in that it combines interviews and physical exams.
The sample involved 5,469 young adults; their age ranged from 20 years to 39 years.
Results show that 16.7 percent of women reported insomnia symptoms; 9.2 percent of men had an insomnia complaint.
Why are women more likely than men to have insomnia? The study suggests that mental health is a key factor.
The gender difference in the odds of insomnia was no longer significant after adjusting for history of mental health conditions. The authors concluded that the higher rate of insomnia in women may be linked to mental health problems such as depression.
The NIMH reports that depression is also more common among women than men. This may be explained in part by hormonal factors that are unique to women.
The AASM reports that insomnia is seen in up to 85 percent of people with a major depressive episode. Frequent awakenings during the night are typical; waking up early in the morning and being unable to go back to sleep also is common.
Often the insomnia complaint is among the earliest symptoms to appear in a person with a mental health disorder. People often attribute their mental symptoms to poor sleep.
Many women know that a sleepless night can take a toll on the way you look. The next morning you may see dark circles under your eyes or newly formed fine lines on your face. You also may have a sickly complexion.
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Howard Murad told the Los Angeles Times that with age, sleep loss can affect skin more visibly because of progressive loss of cellular water.
Sleep allows your body to restore and prepare for the next day. Sleeping well enables you to feel, think and perform at your fullest potential.
According to the article, cell and tissue repair occurs during deep sleep, known as slow-wave sleep. Sleep deprivation can compromise this restorative phase.
Murad stated that a lack of sleep suppresses the immune system. This can lead to skin-related problems, including rashes and eczema.
Both men and women are negatively affected by sleep loss. However, there are unique factors that can interfere with a woman’s sleep. These include pregnancy and menopause. Sleep disorders, medical problems and day-to-day responsibilities also can cause women to lose sleep.
Earlier this year the Sleep Education Blog noted that a Swedish study of 400 women found that subjects slept for only about 6.5 hours per night. It took the women an average of 22 minutes to fall asleep.
Another post said that people who are constantly sleep deprived but do not suffer from a sleep disorder can use willpower to create a regular sleep schedule.
Sleep experts recommend that adults sleep between seven and eight hours each night.
Visit an AASM-accredited sleep disorders center if you are suffering from an ongoing sleep problem.
A new study from Italy investigated paradoxical insomnia.
What’s the paradox? Some people perceive that they have severe insomnia; but their sleep appears to be normal when measured by a sleep study.
The study involved 20 people with paradoxical insomnia and 20 controls. They were monitored during an overnight sleep study.
Results show that the people with paradoxical insomnia estimated that they slept for less than five hours; but the sleep study found that they slept for about 7.75 hours.
They perceived that it took about 51 minutes to fall asleep; but they actually fell asleep in about nine minutes.
The authors suggest that the problem may have to do with “arousal instability.”
The people with paradoxical insomnia estimated that they woke up four times during the night; but the sleep study showed that they had an average of 11 awakenings.
They may have subjectively grouped these arousals together as a single, prolonged event. They thought that they were awake for one long period of time; instead they briefly woke up numerous times.Learn more about insomnia.
A new study examined sleep problems in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
The Italian study involved 55 children with ADHD. They had an average age of about 9 years. They completed a sleep interview and were monitored during an overnight sleep study.
Results show that most of the children had disturbed, fragmentary sleep at night. The authors found a significant difference in almost all sleep variables between ADHD children and controls.
Fifty percent of the children struggled with restlessness; 21 percent had a complaint of snoring; and about 12 percent had leg discomfort at night related to restless legs syndrome.
Many of the children also had parasomnias. About 48 percent were sleepwalkers; 38 percent had sleep terrors; and almost 29 percent had confusional arousals.
In 52 percent of the children the authors also found an abnormality of the arousal process in slow-wave sleep. Sleepwalking, sleep terrors and confusional arousals typically involve arousals from slow-wave sleep.
The authors suggest that sleep studies should be part of the diagnostic screening for ADHD.
In May the Sleep Education Blog reported that sleep problems also are common in older children and teens with ADHD.Learn more about sleep and ADHD.
Two new studies examined the link between sleep and frailty in older adults.
One study involved 3,133 men from six U.S. centers. They were 67 years of age and older.
Results show that sleep problems were highest in frail men. Statistical adjustment found that certain sleep problems were associated with an increased risk of frailty.
Men who took at least 60 minutes to fall asleep were 42 percent more likely to be frail. The risk of frailty also was elevated in men with either poor sleep quality or sleep-disordered breathing. The odds of being frail were increased in men who were awake for a high percentage of their time in bed.
A smaller study involved 374 adults in Connecticut. They had an average age of 84 years.
Results show that 24 percent were drowsy; 10 percent had clinical insomnia; and 41 percent were frail.
There was a significant association between drowsiness and frailty. Adults who were drowsy were nearly four times more likely to be frail.
In May an expert consensus statement addressed the topic of sleep and aging. It noted that sleep disorders are most common in older adults.
The experts added that aging can involve a profound change in your daily sleep-wake cycle. But most of these changes occur by the age of 60.
As a result, sleep problems in older adults shouldn’t be considered a normal part of aging. Often these problems are related to other medical conditions or frequent medication use.
The statement noted that this relationship is “bidirectional.” People with sleep disorders are more likely to have serious medical problems such as heart disease and depression. At the same time, people with these problems have a higher risk of developing a sleep disorder.
In August a study in the journal Sleep linked insomnia symptoms and daytime sleepiness with quality of life in older adults. Another study reported that other sleep disorders such as leg cramps and sleep apnea are common in older adults.
Another recent study linked excessive daytime sleepiness in older adults with an increased risk of death.
A new study examined why insomnia is more common in women than men.
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