Women in the North East say they are not getting enough sleep

Credit: PA

A survey of over 4000 UK adults found that women in the North East are more likely than men to:

  • have trouble sleeping (56% versus 43%)

  • wake up during the night and not be able to get back to sleep (33% versus 16%)

  • become irritable during the day because of their sleep problems (59% versus 40%)

Today’s findings also how sleep deprivation is more likely to affect the appearance of women than men. Women in the North East admitted that sleeping problems have caused them to put on weight (39%) and made their skin look less healthy (31%).

Despite the extent of their sleep problems, only a minority of women in the North East visit their GP about sleep issues such as difficulty sleeping (20%) and snoring (4%). These might be symptoms of a sleep disorder called Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

Sleep apnoea affects around 1.5 million adults in the UK and if left untreated could lead to other more serious health problems such as stroke and cardiovascular disease.

The symptoms include: softer snoring, lower report of sleepiness, insomnia, restless legs, fatigue/day-time sleepiness, depression, headaches and muscle pain.

Women can visit http://reclaimyoursleep.resmed.com/en-gb.html to find out more about sleep and dealing with sleep problems.