Women's sleep more affected by the pandemic than men, study reveals

More than two-thirds of participants reported poor sleep quality during lockdown, and more than 39% reported an increase in symptoms related to insomnia, while anxiety and feelings of distress increased in the overall sample. - AFP Relaxnews

The effects of lockdown were different for men and women. A study conducted by Canadian researchers found that women suffered more from the period of social distancing associated with Covid-19, particularly in terms of sleep, anxiety, depression, and trauma.

Researchers at the University of Calgary, in collaboration with the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, looked at the sleep, state of mind, and mental health disorders of men and women during the months of lockdown, looking specifically at gender differences.

An online survey was conducted among 573 Canadians - 112 men and 459 women - with an average age of 25.9 years between March 23 and June 7, 2020.

Published in Frontiers in Global Women's Health, their work revealed that more than two-thirds of participants reported poor sleep quality during lockdown, and more than 39% reported an increase in symptoms related to insomnia, while anxiety and feelings of distress increased in the overall sample.

Last but not least, symptoms related to sleep, depression, and anxiety were more common among women.