Summary: A recent survey by sleep aid brand Natrol found that many women between the ages of 40 and 60 are losing significant amounts of sleep due to spiraling thoughts. Nearly half of the respondents reported losing two or more hours of sleep per night, with 10% losing four or more hours. The survey identified key stressors, including personal finances, that contribute to sleeplessness, and highlighted the increasing sleep challenges women face compared to a year ago. Natrol emphasized the need for effective strategies to help women regain control of their sleep.
Key Takeaways:
- Sleep Loss Due to Spiraling Thoughts: Nearly half (45%) of women ages 40 to 60 are losing more than two hours of sleep each night due to overthinking and stress.
- Financial Worries Impact Sleep: Personal finances were identified as the top stressor preventing women from falling asleep, with 50% of women citing it as a major cause of sleepless nights.
- Increasing Sleep Struggles: One in three women reported that their difficulty sleeping has worsened compared to a year ago, emphasizing a growing issue with sleeplessness.
According to findings from Natrol’s new Sleep Spiral Survey, 45% of women ages 40 to 60 say they are losing more than two hours of sleep a night due to spiraling thoughts, while 10% of women report they are losing four or more hours of sleep a night.
“Women are juggling more than ever—caring for their children, supporting their significant other, looking after aging parents, managing their career, balancing friendships and finances—all while trying to prioritize their own health,” says Rebekah Lyle, chief marketing officer at sleep aid brand Natrol, in a release. “Getting restorative sleep can be difficult, often leading to overthinking at night and entering a sleep spiral that’s hard to escape, leaving them feeling drained the next day. As sleep experts, we wanted to better understand how often this happens, for how long, and the most common stressors that cause women to have spiraling thoughts that result in hours of lost sleep.”
Natrol’s Sleep Spiral Survey identified the frequency and real-life pressures that lead to sleepless nights. According to its findings, seven in 10 (72%) women report having trouble falling asleep at night and almost nine in 10 (87%) have trouble staying asleep during the night.
Some additional findings from Natrol’s Sleep Spiral Survey include:
- One in three (31%) of women ages 40-60 say that their difficulty sleeping is worse now than it was one year ago. Half (56%) believe their sleep quality is about the same as last year. Only one in 10 (13%) feel like their sleep quality has improved over this time.
- About half of women (50%) said personal finances are the most likely stressor preventing them from falling asleep every night or at least very often.
“We uncovered that one in four women are very often simply giving up trying to fall asleep at night because of spiraling thoughts, so it’s apparent that many are struggling with significant sleep challenges that can impact their next day and the days ahead,” says Lyle in a release. “The findings from the Sleep Spiral Survey highlight that women need effective strategies and solutions that can help them regain control of their sleep and overall well-being.”
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