May 15, 2018
Sleep Habits of Men vs. Women
The Battle of the Sexes: Who’s Better in Bed?
Discover who comes out on top when it comes to sleep.
In the epic battle of the sexes, who comes out on top when it comes to sleep?
The Better Sleep Council conducted a survey on sleep habits, and while both men and women performed poorly – men’s sleep habits edged out women.
But not so fast on the bragging rights, guys. The survey results revealed a measly 3-point difference between men and women. And collectively, men and women on average scored a less-than-impressive grade of C-. Which means we all might not do it the same, but when it comes to sleep, we all could do it a little better.
Here’s what the research said:
- Stressing about sleep. Our survey found that women tend to place a higher priority on sleep than men. But women were also more likely to feel stressed about getting enough of the good stuff and making it count.
- Alcohol and sleep: Men need liquid courage. Who knew? Men take a little more coaxing to get under the sheets than women. Our study revealed they often needed a few rounds of cocktails before hitting the hay.
- Perhaps, three is too much company – when it comes to sleep. Women were more likely to allow kids and pets in the bed, resulting in frequent interruptions and decreased restorative sleep.
- Waking up on the right side of the bed. When it came to rating how refreshed they felt after an 8-hour stint, more women reported waking up exhausted. And more men said they woke up feeling refreshed.
- Putting a priority on sleep. This is where women and men perhaps see eye-to-eye. Almost half of all participants, men and women, said they do it for 7-8 hours on a regular basis.
Expert Tips for Better Sleep
Want to get better in bed? Steal more zzz’s with help from BSC consultant, R.N. and certified sleep educator Terry Cralle:
- Schedule your sleep. Place a high priority on the stuff of dreams and schedule your 8 hours a night before everything else. The rest of your life will thank you.
- Bedrooms are rated XXX and ZZZ only. There are two reasons, and two reasons only to be in your bedroom. Make it an exclusive sleep and romance zone, with no paying bills, no folding laundry, no talking on the phone and no arguing over finances to get the best chance at a restful night.
- Do it in the dark. The darker your room, the better your sleep. Period. Even dim light can sabotage a good night’s rest. Cover all light-emitting objects like electronics, digital displays or even that bedside clock. Turn off nightlights and lights in the hall.
- Do it without electronics. The first rule of sleep is you do not bring electronics into the bedroom. The second rule of sleep is you do not bring electronics into the bedroom. Even that nighttime setting on your phone isn’t enough to stop blue light from interfering with quality slumber, so power down an hour before bed.
- Show some leg. If you get hot at night, try simply slipping a leg out of the covers. It’ll help regulate your body temperature to keep you at the optimal level for deep, restful sleep.
- Consider a sleep divorce. If your partner is keeping you up at night with tossing and turning, loud snoring, or even because of a temperature preference, it might be time to get a sleep divorce and move to separate bedrooms. Because true love is forever, but only if it can last a night of no sleep.
- Set the mood. Make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary. Eliminate all clutter. Any visual chaos creates conscious and subconscious levels of stress that can negatively impact sleep.
- Slip into something more comfortable. Dress for bedroom success. Don’t wear street clothes, athleisure wear, or that ratty old T-shirt you got from your after-work soccer league. Make comfort your priority when it comes to nighttime attire.
