Study: Sleep deprivation worse for women (and that’s bad for their men)

A few sleep studies out this week have clear implications for married couples, especially those with kids. The Daily Mail has a nice round up here. A recap:

The University of Warwick Medical School finds women who sleep five hours a night or less are twice as likely to have high blood pressure as women who sleep seven hours a night or less. Men’s blood pressure remained the same regardless of how much sleep they’re getting.

Furthermore, a study out of Pittsburgh University found that women who report sleeping problems are much more likely to report relationship problems. Men who don’t sleep well aren’t. Scientists find that women are much more susceptible to the emotional disturbances that sleep deprivation can cause.

However, women who regularly get sleep handle small interruptions in their sleep better than men do. Researchers theorize this is because women have evolved to help them cope with babies who wake up several times during the night.

Warning: completely biased opinion ahead. Men if you help your wife out with the kids in the middle of the night they’ll be happy and healthy. Women, if they don’t, you’ll be able to handle it.

Francisca Ortega