Studies have shown that women need 10 minutes more sleep per night than men. Yet, they are 40% more likely to develop insomnia than their male counterparts. Is that fair? No. Can we do something about it? Yes, we can. There are quite a few things that can help to improve sleep quality and wake up fresh in the morning.
WHY SLEEP MATTERS
Restful sleep is key to our health. While we sleep, our brain and body both recharge. While our brain is busy saving new information, our nerve cells reorganize, and our body repairs cells and restores energy. The result? We wake up rejuvenated and ready to tackle the day.
If we do not get enough hours of restful sleep, we will not just feel tired. The lack of a good night’s sleep also affects our mood, our motivation, our patience, our performance, and more. Still, many people don’t sleep as well or as much as they should. When comparing the two sexes, it turns out that women are twice as likely to experience issues with sleep than men, and they may well be affected throughout their entire life.
WHY GENDER MATTERS
While the scientific community may now acknowledge the gender gap when it comes to sleep issues, the unique biology of women has not yet been considered in many sleep studies. The few we have, however, all paint a similar picture: women are more prone to sleep issues than men, with hormonal changes being one of the main causes.
A sleep and women’s health study has found that whenever women experience extreme hormone fluctuations, the quality and duration of their sleep suffer. In the female body, hormones don’t just fluctuate during the monthly menstrual cycle, but also during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as before and during menopause.
For many women, these changes in hormone levels lead to a higher body temperature, which can cause hot flashes and night sweats.
However, if we do not stay in the ideal thermal comfort zone, the quality of our sleep suffers. We might even wake up and have trouble falling back to sleep. Disturbances like these affect the REM and deep sleep phases in particular, during which our body does most of its regenerative work. The result? We wake up feeling less rested than we should.
WHY LIFESTYLE MATTERS
We might not be able to prevent the changes that come with aging or the hormonal fluctuations women experience during this process, but we can positively influence the quality and duration of our sleep by making a few small changes in our daily lives. After all, lifestyle and environment are the main contributors when it comes to a good night’s rest. By adding and eliminating certain habits and routines, we can optimally support our body’s inner clock and achieve a consistent and restful sleep-wake cycle:
- Apply heat to ease pain, for example cramps during menstruation or back pain during pregnancy.
- Exercise regularly, but finish your workout at least 90 minutes before your bedtime to give your body enough time to cool down.
- Reduce stress by learning breathing techniques, journaling, or meditating so you can ease the worry of being a new parent, for example, or minimize work-related thought spirals.
- Keep the temperature in your bedroom below 18°C/ 64.5°F to help your body lower its own temperature and keep it low during the night. If you tend to overheat, keep a glass of water and a small towel next to your bed.
- Find the best sleeping position and try different pillows and blankets. For example, during pregnancy, sleep on your left side to keep the uterus off the liver and increase blood flow. During menstrual cramps, the fetal position can ease discomfort.
- Be mindful of what and when you eat. In the evening, try to avoid food that is hard to digest and might cause acid reflux when you lie down.
- Establish a sleep schedule and a relaxing evening routine to signal to your body that it is time to sleep. Take a bath, read, meditate, or do some yoga poses, for example.
- Reduce blue light exposure from smartphones and other screens to make sure your body can start producing the sleep hormone melatonin.
- In bed, wear light, breathable fabrics that won’t trap in heat and become damp when you sweat. Make sure you choose the most comfortable pajamas for women by avoiding synthetic or heavy materials – this also applies to bedding.
WHY COMFORTABLE PAJAMAS MATTER – AND HOW DAGSMEJAN CAN HELP
Dagsmejan sleepwear has been specifically designed to give you the best possible sleep comfort all night, every night. Our unique cuts and fabrics have been developed with the help of materials scientists and sleep experts to make sure that they cater to your physiological needs while sleeping. They come with flat ergonomic seams and no tags to prevent any discomfort during the night.
But the real magic is in our fabrics. Dagsmejan PJs are made from the finest natural fibers. Refined using state-of-the-art textile technology, these innovative fibers regulate your body temperature during the night. They will release excess heat and absorb moisture to make sure you stay in your ideal thermal comfort zone. With three different collections, Dagsmejan accommodates the needs of everyone – from the restless hot sleepers to the always-freezing blanket thieves.
BALANCE COLLECTION
If your body temperature tends to fluctuate at night, and you feel too warm and too cold at the same time, temperature-regulating pajamas from Dagsmejan’s Balance collection will keep you at the optimal sleeping temperature all night long. The fabric of these super soft pajamas is 4x better than cotton at drawing sweat away from the skin, while feeling incredibly light and comfortable. The secret behind these softest pajamas in the world is sustainably sourced beechwood fibers, which combine moisture management with ultimate sleep comfort.
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STAY COOL COLLECTION
If you tend to feel warm and start to sweat while sleeping, or if you are looking for lightweight summer pajamas to keep you cool during the warmer months, Dagsmejan’s Stay Cool pajamas will be your perfect companion. Their fabric is 8x more breathable than cotton and dries 3x as fast. The secret ingredients of these cooling pajamas for ladies are eucalyptus fibers that release water vapor 60% better than cotton, providing much better moisture management.
SHOP THE BEST COOLING PAJAMAS FOR WOMEN
STAY WARM COLLECTION
For those who tend to get cold at night or want an extra warm layer in winter, Dagsmejan’s merino pajamas are the right choice. They combine the finest merino wool with high-tech TencelTM from made from eucalyptus to provide 50% lighter warmth than other thermal sleepwear without overheating. Their trademarked fabric is 4x more breathable and 2x lighter than cotton.
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