DECODED: 3 reasons why women are twice as likely to have insomnia as men

Getting peaceful sleep of seven to eight hours at night is not easy for all. Some people may go to bed early but will keep tossing and turning way past their bedtime. No matter how tired they are, getting some shut-eye seems just impossible, and if they happen to be women, the episodes of sleeplessness are even more frequent. Studies suggest that as compared to men, women are more prone to suffer from insomnia, owing to several physiological and psychological factors.

Insomnia is referred to as a sleep disorder in which people often have trouble falling and/or staying asleep. The condition can either be short term or long term, hindering your daily activities. Here are 3 reasons why women are more prone to insomnia and how to fix them.

There is a strong connection between your hormones and your sleep cycle. As per a study, there is no difference in the sleep cycle between the two genders until they hit puberty. The changes in the sleeping pattern begin when girls start menstruating. Their sleep cycle gets better or worse depending on their monthly cycle due to fluctuation in the hormone. Pregnancy and menopause, which leads to major hormonal changes, can also ruin the regular schedules and sleep.

The second reason is the drastic mood swing such as anxiety and depression. We all know that women are more likely to get emotional and experience drastic mood swing, especially close to their period. This can also make them more vulnerable to sleep problems. That’s because many chemicals in the brain that are responsible for mood disorders are also involved in regulating our sleep.

One thing that we all will accept is that women are more often the primary caregivers for children and older adults. They have the duty of managing the house and even their work. All of these activities add on to their stress level and disturb the sleep cycle.

It is crucial to address the problem of insomnia before it starts interfering with your daily life. There are numerous ways to tackle this problem, but first, it is important to look for the underlying cause and review your sleep habits.

Most people experience insomnia at some time in their life. It generally lasts for one or two days. The condition is considered chronic when the episodes of insomnia occur three nights a week for three months or more. It is important to seek a professional's help in such a situation. Based on the findings you can opt for the following measures:

Maintain a consistent sleep schedule even on weekends or holidays.

Limit the intake of alcohol and caffeine close to bedtime.

Avoid screen time an hour or more before going to bed.

Avoid a heavy meal late at night.

Involve in some relaxation technique to unwind yourself.