The Role of Gender in Mental Health
While sleep issues aren’t always caused by poor mental health, too little sleep can certainly lead to psychological issues. As a whole, women tend to have better sleep quality than men, with longer time asleep and less time taken to fall asleep. Despite this, women also tend to have higher rates of sleep disorders, including insomnia, restless legs syndrome and sleep disturbances caused by overactive bladder. Women with sleep apnea are less likely to have overt symptoms such as heavy snoring, but they still experience extreme fatigue and mood disturbances. Mental issues like depression, anxiety and chronic stress as well as physical conditions like multiple sclerosis, cancer and arthritis have all been shown to increase the risk of sleep issues. Talk with your doctor if you are having issues falling asleep or staying asleep.
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Review Date:
April 11, 2014Citation:
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Last Updated:
July 1, 2014