This week, I was interviewed by WCBS-TV New York for a news segment called, "Sleep: the Battle of the Sexes." The topic was one I am very familiar with: People suffering from lack of sleep, and how it can affect daytime mood, mental acuity, job performance and relationship intimacy.
The show drilled down a bit farther and asked: who is more likely to suffer from a sleep disorder, men or women? And of the two genders, which performs better despite a lack of sleep?
What we know is that men and women have different circadian rhythms. According to an article by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, "The circadian rhythms of melatonin and body temperature are set to an earlier hour in women than in men, even when the women and men maintain nearly identical and consistent bedtimes and wake times. Moreover, women tend to wake up earlier than men and exhibit a greater preference for morning activities than men."
In other words, women tend to go to sleep and wake up earlier than men. We also know thanks to a Penn State study that women need 6.8 hours of sleep per night, while men require just 6.2 hours. While scientific studies are interesting, there is a discrepancy between these numbers and what I am seeing in my office at the Manhattan Snoring and Sleep Center.
Based on the facts, one would think women are getting to sleep earlier and sleeping longer than their male counterparts. But are women getting the sleep they need? In my anecdotal opinion, they are not, and they are suffering quietly for it. In our society, men are stressed out, but women are really stressed out. The physical demands of balancing career and family, along with the mental strain of worrying about finances and future is taking its toll on the women in our society.
Don't get me wrong, men worry and suffer from sleep disorders too. But they seem more willing to speak up and seek treatment. Women, on the other hand, being the selfless caregivers they are, stay focused on others and what needs to be done and power through their day. Which explains another Penn State study that found sleep deprived women made fewer mistakes compared to men in a series of computer tasks. It seems that, although women need more sleep, they do better without it because, for better or worse, they're just more used to it.
Whether a man or woman is suffering from a lack of sleep, the fact is that a sleep disorder can lead to negative health issues, including an increased chance of hypertension, heart disease, osteoporosis and inflammatory disease.
In addition to personal health issues, a sleep disorder can wreak havoc on a relationship. The partner of a patient once shared with me how his snoring and sleep apnea had impacted their relationship. It led to weeks without quality REM sleep, and she said it left her feeling groggy with low energy, cranky, unable to concentrate for long and she was more prone to getting sick. His constant snoring caused her to start sleeping on the couch, which led to resentment, lack of intimacy and loss of connection.
I have made it clear in previous blogs that I am not a marriage counselor or relationship expert. But I can tell you unequivocally that, if you or your partner snores or suffers from a lack of sleep on a consistent basis, it will negatively affect your relationship.
In the end, circadian rhythms and who performs better and the sex of the person with the sleep disorder doesn't matter. What matters is getting it treated and keeping the relationship healthy.
This also bears repeating: Turn off the TV when you go to sleep. Falling asleep with the TV or computer on interrupts deep REM sleep because the light from the screens interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that tells our bodies when it's time to go to sleep. Do yourself a favor and turn off the TV, computer and lights at night. Your brain and body will thank you for it the next day.
To watch "Sleep: The Battle of the Sexes" on CBS2 New York, click here.
David Volpi, M.D., P.C., F.A.C.S. is a board-certified otolaryngology surgeon with Ear, Nose and Throat practices, Otolaryngology Associates, on the Upper West Side and Upper East Side and is a staff member of the best teaching hospitals New York City. Realizing that there is a lack of information on the part of the public about the potential severity of snoring, he founded The Manhattan Snoring and Sleep Center to be a place where snoring patients can go for expert information, diagnosis and treatment. As a recognized authority throughout the country for his work in snoring disorders, he is also the author of the definitive guide book on the diagnosis and treatment of snoring: Wake Up! You're Snoring...
He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the American Medical Association (AMA), the American College of Surgeons, the Medical Society of the State of New York, the New York County Medical Society, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and the American Rhinologic Society.
Original article