Males sleep more than females, states a new study conducted by CU Boulder researchers. For years, biomedical research has primarily focused on male sleeping patterns. However, the study is a wake-up call on how the sleep differences between both genders can have significant implications on their individual health.

Senior author Rachel Rowe, assistant professor of integrative physiology, said, “In humans, men and women exhibit distinct sleep patterns, often attributed to lifestyle factors and caregiving roles. Our results suggest that biological factors may play a more substantial role in driving these sleep differences than previously recognised.”

Importance of sleep study:

Studying the sleep patterns in animals has become a trend in recent years, exploring how it can have a significant impact on health. Sleep impacts the risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s and immune disorders. These diseases also affect the way we sleep.

Findings of the study:

The study was conducted on 267 mice in specialised cages with ultrasensitive sensors to detect movements. It was observed that in a period of 24 hours, male mice slept for about 670 minutes, while female mice slept an hour less. The extra one hour was Rapid Eye Movement sleep for the male mice – the sleep pattern when the body restores the damage and conducts repair.

Mice are nocturnal in nature and they have polyphasic sleeping patterns where they nap for few minutes before waking up briefly to inspect their surroundings. Female mice, as observed by the researchers, had shorter bouts of sleep.

Rachel Rowe added that females are designed to be more sensitive and wake up frequently from their sleep, as they are the ones usually tending to the young. It is also observed that hormones and cortisol levels in the body play a huge role in impacting sleeping patterns. Females usually are observed to have worse sleep during their menstrual cycles.

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