Almost Half Of British Women Are Sleep Deprived And Risking Long-Term Health Effects, Report Warns
Almost Half Of British Women Aren't Getting Enough Sleep
Rachel Moss— The Huffington Post UK
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If you struggle to get out of bed in the morning, you're not alone.
Almost half of British women (43%) say they are not getting enough sleep. In fact, 45% do not feel well-rested when they wake up.
The results are part of the ‘Reclaim Your Sleep’ survey of 4,100 UK adults, conducted by YouGov and supported by the Sleep Apnoea Trust Association (SATA).
Health experts are now warning of the detrimental effect sleep deprivation can have on long-term health.
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The survey uncovered that women are more likely to experience difficulty sleeping than men.
When asked about their sleeping patterns, 46% of women said they have trouble sleeping compared to 36% of men.
Women were also more prone than men to waking up during the night and having trouble getting back to sleep afterwards (36% compared to 23%).
More than half of women surveyed (60%) admitted to feeling irritable during the day because of their sleep problems and a further 33% said they felt less confidence in their appearance as a result of a bad night’s sleep.
Commenting on the findings, Professor John Stradling, a sleep expert from Oxford University said: "Often women think that feeling exhausted is just part of modern life when in fact it could be something more serious.
"Remaining untreated leaves women at risk of reduced quality of life and serious health conditions, so it is important that they speak to their GP about any sleep problems that they have – the sooner their sleep issues are addressed by a sleep expert, the better."
Despite sleep problems clearly having a negative impact on a lot of women, only a minority of those surveyed said they have spoken to their GP about problems nodding off.
Bill Johnston, chairman from the Sleep Apnoea Trust Association warned that sleep problems such as restlessness could indicate more serious health problems such as sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a debilitating condition affecting around 1.5 million adults in the UK.
Pregnancy and the menopause can increase a woman’s risk of having sleep apnoea, yet according to the survey, the majority of women in the UK are unaware of this.
The symptoms of sleep apnea present themselves differently in women than men and include: softer snoring, lower report of sleepiness, insomnia, restless legs, fatigue/day-time sleepiness, depression, headaches and muscle pain.
If left untreated, the condition can lead to other more serious health problems such as stroke and heart disease.
Johnston said: "The overall lack of awareness around sleep apnoea symptoms and its impact on a person’s health may mean that many are suffering in silence so it is important that we work with healthcare professionals to uncover this missing group and help minimise the impact of sleep problems on their lives.
"Women also need to help their doctor understand how they sleep to avoid misdiagnosis. Discussing their sleep quality, and any difficulties sleeping (such as insomnia, frequent awakenings, snoring and sleepiness or tiredness during the day), will really help."
17 Things To Know About Sleep Apnea
What Is It?(01 of17)
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Sleep apnea is a condition in which your breathing repeatedly stops and starts, the Mayo Clinic notes. There are three main types of the condition: obstructive sleep apnea occurs when your throat muscles relax, central sleep apnea occurs when your brain doesn’t send the right signals to the muscles that control breathing, and complex sleep apnea syndrome occurs when someone has both central and obstructive sleep apnea. (credit:monkeybusinessimages via Getty Images)
Obstructive Sleep Apnea(02 of17)
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The muscles in the back of your throat support your soft palate and when these muscles relax, this can lead to obstructive sleep apnea. The relaxation of those muscles leads to a narrowing or closure of your airways as you breathe in, which can lower the level of oxygen in your blood. Your brain wakes you when it sense this breathing trouble, which is why people with obstructive sleep apnea can wake briefly dozens of times a night. (credit:KatarzynaBialasiewicz via Getty Images)
Central Sleep Apnea (03 of17)
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This type of sleep apnea is less common and occurs when your brain doesn’t send the right signals to the muscles that control breathing. Because of this, you may just stop breathing for short periods of time while sleeping — and your body wakes you when it senses this, interrupting your sleep. (credit:Image Source via Getty Images)
Risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea include excess weight, large neck circumference, a narrowed airway because of genetics or enlarged tonsils or adenoids, age, family history, the use of alcohol or sedatives, smoking, and nasal congestion. Risk factors for central sleep apnea include age, heart disorders, the use of narcotic pain medications, and a history of stroke. (credit:Blend Images/John Fedele via Getty Images)
The Symptoms(06 of17)
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The symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, episodes of breathing cessation during sleep as witnessed by another person, abrupt awakenings accompanied by shortness of breath, waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat, headaches in the morning, trouble staying asleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness. (credit:Justin Horrocks via Getty Images)
Signs Of Sleep Deprivation(07 of17)
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Sleep deprivation with sleep apnea happens because those with the condition wake up multiple times a night. The symptoms of sleep deprivation include depression, fatigue, irritability, reduced attention, concentration issues, memory issues, lost productivity, frequent illness, and auto accidents, according to Dr. Susan Maples, a dentist based in Michigan. (credit:imtmphoto via Getty Images)
Along with the harm to your day-to-day well-being, sleep apnea can have serious health consequences over time. Left untreated, the condition is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease, Maples says. (credit:dina2001 via Getty Images)
The Role Of Obesity(10 of17)
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You can be obese or overweight and not have sleep apnea, or you can have it without being obese or overweight, Maples says. But the connection between the condition and weight can’t be ignored she ads. Obesity — particularly abdominal obesity — is a risk factor for sleep apnea. (credit:Creatas Images via Getty Images)
Sleep Apnea And Weight Loss(11 of17)
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It’s not just that being overweight makes it more likely you’ll have sleep apnea, some research shows sleep apnea can negatively affect the hunger hormones leptin and gherkin, Maples says, making it harder for you to lose weight. (credit:K-Paul via Getty Images)
Do You Pee A Lot?(12 of17)
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If you find yourself getting up in the night to go to the bathroom (known as nocturia), sleep apnea could be the surprising cause. "Patients with sleep apnea develop negative chest wall pressure as they try to breathe through an obstructed airway,” says physician and surgeon Dr. Antonio Pizarro. "The heart responds to this negative pressure by releasing a substance called ANP, which triggers the kidneys to create urine. This fills the bladder more quickly and leads to nocturia.” Talk to your doctor about sleep apnea if are constantly waking up to pee, particularly if you’ve already ruled out a bladder condition. (credit:Rasulovs via Getty Images)
Talk To Your Dentist(13 of17)
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Dentists are often the first to notice signs of sleep apnea because they focus on your teeth, mouth, and head. Signs that can point to the condition include upper teeth that hide the lower teeth when biting down, a small cricomental space or “turkey waddle” in the neck, and a narrow airway opening to the back of the throat, Maples says. (credit:PeopleImages.com via Getty Images)
Ask Your Partner(14 of17)
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It’s hard to know if you’re snoring when you’re asleep, and many people with sleep apnea don’t realize they’re waking multiple times in a night. Ask your partner or a roommate if you snore regularly. (credit:Tara Moore via Getty Images)
Diagnosis (15 of17)
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If you experience loud snoring, shortness of breath or gasping or choking that wakens you, pauses in your breathing during sleep or excessive daytime drowsiness, talk to your physician. You may be recommended for a sleep study in a home or clinic, or you could be examined for other conditions (like enlarged tonsils) that could be causing the apnea. (credit:Tetra Images via Getty Images)
Treatment(16 of17)
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Some sleep apnea can be treated with lifestyle changes alone, including weight loss, exercise, or quitting smoking. In other cases, treating conditions like allergies can improve the condition. For some patients, the use of a CPAP machine or oral appliances can lead to big improvements in sleep. In some cases, surgery is necessary. (credit:Robert Byron via Getty Images)
But Start With Weight Loss(17 of17)
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If your sleep apnea is related to your weight, exercise and improved nutrition can play a role in your treatment. Research has shown exercising four times a week for 12 weeks improved obstructive sleep apnea and improved overall sleep quality, says health coach and personal trainer Joshua Duvauchelle. Three other studies found brisk walking reduced sleep apnea by 25 per cent. "To experience the many health benefits that come with aerobic exercise, Canadian health authorities recommend that we engage in 30 minutes of vigorous exercise a day. Not only will this help with sleep apnea, but you'll also see improvements in every other health metric,” Duvauchelle adds. (credit:Justin Case via Getty Images)