Questions about sleeping and waterbeds

Here you will find some interesting facts and tips about and answers to questions about sleeping well. Click on the links below.

Do women sleep badly more often than men? Women sleep badly more often than men. Women and men are hormonally as well as psychosocially totally different. The variable hormone levels of oestrogens and progesterone influence the sleep during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause. Generally, one can say that oestrogens increase the REM sleep and progesterone causes sleepiness and a sense of tiredness. Just before the menstruation, there's a big drop in progesterone levels. This could lead to an unsettled sleep. It's not the case for all women though, because there are a lot of individual differences. The parts that play a major role in the individual differences between women are : sensitivity towards or differences in hormonal levels, the general mood, stress, illness, medication, their way of life and food. Women are twice as likely as men to have difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep. Younger women have sounder sleep with fewer disturbances. Some women, however, are prone to sleep problems throughout their reproductive years. Only recently has the medical community focused on women's sleep disorders.   A number of factors may affect women’s sleep such as changes in hormonal levels, stress, illness, lifestyle, and sleep environment. Pregnancy- and menstrual-related hormonal fluctuations may affect sleep patterns, mood, and reaction to stress. Many women have premenstrual sleep disturbances. Difficulty falling asleep, nighttime waking, difficulty waking up, and daytime sleepiness all are linked to premenstrual changes. Insomnia (sleeplessness) is one of the most common symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Psychosocial stress may threaten sleep more than hormonal changes. Many young women reduce their amount of sleep to cope with work and their roles as mothers and wives. They ignore fatigue and other effects of inadequate sleep. About 30% of employed women report sleep problems. Sleep problems are more common in women older than 40 years. Getting enough sleep improves job performance, concentration, social interaction, and general sense of well-being.       Pregnancy may also disturbs the sleep. During the first trimester, women need more sleep and feel sleepier during the day. During the second trimester, sleep improves. During the third trimester, women sleep less and are more awake. The most common reasons for sleep disturbances are frequent urination, heartburn, general discomfort, fetal movements, low back pain, leg cramps, and nightmares. Swelling in nasal passages may cause snoring and sleep apnoea during pregnancy.      As women age, physical and hormonal changes make sleep lighter and less sound. Sleep disturbances become more common during the menopause. Women wake up more often at night and are more tired during the day. Hot flashes and night sweats linked to lower levels of estrogen may contribute to these problems. During the menopausal years, snoring becomes more frequent. After menopause, women get less deep sleep and are more likely to awaken at night than during the menopause.    Pain, grief, worry, certain medical conditions, medications, and breathing disorders may disturb sleep in menopausal and postmenopausal women. The most common sleep problem with women is insomnia. This includes trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or early awakening, and inability to resume sleep. Other common sleep disorders are sleep-disordered breathing, Restless Leg Syndrome, Periodic Limb Movement Disorder, and narcolepsy.