November 3, 2025

Sleep is a common need for everyone. But guess what? Women actually sleep differently from men and usually need more of it! DW talked to women from different countries who say they struggle to get enough sleep and suffer from "sleep debt" – the tiredness that builds up when you don’t rest well. Take Sana Akhand from New York. She worked in a tough tech job and hit a wall of exhaustion. "I used to pour myself a glass of wine and crash in front of the TV every night," she said. "I was drained. I had nothing more to give." Now, Sana makes sleep a top priority. She sleeps nine hours, goes to bed at 10 p.m., and wakes around 8 a.m. She even chose not to have children to focus on her rest. Science supports this. Women sleep about 11 to 13 minutes longer than men on average. Some studies say women might need up to 20 extra minutes nightly for things like multitasking and hormone balance. During the menstrual cycle, sleep changes too. Rising estrogen in the first half improves sleep quality, but rising progesterone later makes women sleepy yet causes more night waking and less deep sleep. Shantani Moore from Los Angeles plans her day around her cycle and sleep. She told DW, "It's something I've consciously worked at. When I don't get enough sleep, it's a toxic marriage between feeling wired and tired. Then there's brain fog... it all adds up." But it’s not just biology. Daily life piles on extra pressure. Sabrina from Karachi said she sleeps only six to seven hours but needs 12 hours to feel fresh. "In the morning, I iron clothes, prepare meals, clean, and cook," she shared. Missing sleep means she naps a lot, sometimes turning 30 minutes into four hours! Weekends give her chance for 12-13 hours of solid rest. Experts say this is not just individual trouble but a big, widespread issue. Emerson Wickwire, a sleep expert from the University of Maryland, said, "Women experience shift work disorder more often and they work more nontraditional hours than men." Clara Paula from Berlin found a trick – freelancing! Her flexible schedule lets her sleep 7-9 hours. "There's nobody telling me to sit in front of the computer all day," she said. She starts late, takes breaks, and finishes fast. But sleep isn’t only about hours. Women often need more deep sleep (stage N3) and REM sleep, the most restorative types. Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, a sleep psychologist, explained, "Women consistently sleep longer and deeper, even in labs without stress. That shows women may biologically need more sleep." This is because the female body is built for resilience, especially to protect life creation. "A woman has to be able to sleep and function even while carrying another human," Fernandez-Mendoza said. Yet, women report insomnia twice as often as men, starting from early puberty. What about sleeping in on weekends? It helps to feel alert again by restoring some lost sleep, but it may not fully fix the health damage caused by long-term sleep loss. Fernandez-Mendoza warns, "Cognitive functions take longer to bounce back." In short, women need more sleep for body and brain, but life’s demands and biology can make it challenging. Listening to your body and prioritizing quality rest is not a luxury, it’s a must!

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Tags: Women Sleep Needs, Sleep Debt, Menstrual Cycle And Sleep, Sleep Quality, Work And Sleep, Sleep Research,