Unlocking Gender Differences in Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Metabolism: A Groundbreaking Study

A recent study examined the important differences in sleeping patterns, body clocks, and metabolic impact between men and women. The research, published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, emphasizes the significant role of gender in understanding these factors and recommends taking biological sex into account when treating sleep, circadian rhythm, and metabolic disorders.

Disparities in sleep

According to the review, women tend to rate their sleep quality lower than men and experience more fluctuations in their sleep quality, which align with changes during the menstrual cycle.

“Lower sleep quality has been linked to anxiety and depressive disorders, which are twice as prevalent in women compared to men,” explained Dr. Sarah L. Chellappa from the University of Southampton and senior author of the paper. “Women are also more likely than men to be diagnosed with insomnia, although the reasons for this are not entirely clear. Recognizing and understanding the differences in sleep and circadian rhythms between sexes is crucial.”The study discovered that tailoring treatment approaches for sleep disorders and related mental health conditions is crucial. The researchers also noted that women are 25 to 50 percent more likely to develop restless legs syndrome and up to four times more likely to have sleep-related eating disorder compared to men. On the other hand, men are three times more likely to be diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). It was also highlighted that OSA presents differently in women and men, leading to differences in diagnosis. Additionally, OSA is linked to a higher risk of heart failure in women but not in men.

Your circadian rhythms.” They discovered that melatonin, a hormone that assists in regulating circadian rhythms and sleep, is produced earlier in women than in men. Additionally, core body temperature, which peaks before sleep and is lowest a few hours before waking, follows a comparable pattern, with women reaching their peak earlier than men. In line with these findings, other research suggests that women’s natural circadian periods are about six minutes shorter than men’s. Dr. Renske Lok of Stanford University, who led the review, stated: “Although this difference may seem small, it is meaningful. The misalignment between the central body rhythms in women and the externally imposed rhythms on the body could have negative effects on women’s health in the long term.”The difference in the circadian rhythm between men and women is approximately five times larger in women than in men. This means that if someone’s watch consistently ran six minutes faster or slower, it could lead to a noticeable misalignment between their internal clock and external cues like light and darkness over time. Disruptions in circadian rhythms have been associated with sleep disorders, mood disorders, and impaired cognitive function. Even minor differences in circadian periods can have significant implications for overall health and well-being..”

Men have a tendency to be “night owls,” preferring to stay up and wake up later than women. This can result in social jet lag, where their internal body clock is out of sync with social expectations, such as work schedules. Men also have less consistent patterns of rest and activity on a daily basis compared to women.

Impact on metabolism

The study also examined whether the global rise in obesity could be partly due to insufficient sleep, with 30 percent of adults aged 30 to 64 in the United States getting less than six hours of sleep per night, a similar trend observed in Europe.

There were significant variations betweenThe study observed how the brains of women and men reacted to pictures of food after being deprived of sleep. It found that the brain networks associated with decision making and emotional processes were twice as active in women compared to men. Another study discovered that women had 1.5 times higher activation in the limbic region, which is involved in emotion processing, memory formation, and behavioral regulation, when shown images of sweet food compared to men.

Despite these differences in brain activity, men tend to overeat more than women when they are sleep-deprived. Another study found that men experienced more fragmented sleep, took longer to fall asleep, and spent more time. The study found that men who struggle to fall asleep at night tend to feel more hungry, but this was not the case for women. Both male and female nightshift workers are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but men have a higher risk. Research showed that 66% of women who work nightshifts tend to eat emotionally, and they are 1.5 times more likely to be overweight or obese compared to women who work during the day. The study also revealed that men and women respond differently to treatments for sleep and circadian disorders. For instance, weight loss was more effective in treating women with OSA than men, and women prescribed a certain treatment had better results.The insomnia medication olpidem may require women to take a lower dosage than men in order to avoid feeling excessively sleepy the following morning. Dr. Chellappa stated that there is limited research on sex differences in the field of sleep and circadian interventions. As researchers gain a better understanding of how men and women sleep, the variances in their circadian rhythms, and how these impact their metabolism, it will be possible to progress towards more precise and personalized healthcare, leading to more positive outcomes. The research was financially supported by the Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation, the US Department of Defense, and the National Institute of Health.