The study advocates for increased representation of both sexes in sleep research and calls for a reevaluation of past studies that may have overlooked female participants, as such biases could impede the development of effective treatments.

First author Grant Mannino pointed out that the most commonly used mouse strain in research exhibits sex-specific sleep behaviors, which could lead to flawed interpretations of data if not properly accounted for.

These findings align with observations in other species, including fruit flies, rats, birds, and zebrafish, indicating a potential evolutionary basis for the differences in sleep duration between sexes.

Despite advancements since the National Institutes of Health mandated the inclusion of sex as a biological variable in animal studies in 2016, significant sex bias persists in research, which may impact the efficacy and safety of drugs for women.

Hormonal factors, particularly stress hormones like cortisol and sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, significantly influence sleep quality in females, especially during their menstrual cycles.

The ongoing bias in research not only affects clinical outcomes but also hinders the development of effective treatments tailored for females.

Rowe, a senior author of the study, expressed surprise that such pronounced differences in sleep patterns had not been thoroughly documented in previous research, highlighting a gap in the scientific literature.

A recent study from CU Boulder has revealed that female mice experience less sleep, wake up more frequently, and have lower quality restorative sleep compared to their male counterparts.

The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, suggests that biological factors significantly contribute to sleep differences between genders, challenging the idea that lifestyle factors are the primary cause.

Rowe noted that while distinct sleep patterns in humans are often associated with caregiving roles, the study underscores the importance of biological influences as well.

If the hypothesis of biologically shorter sleep in women is validated, it raises concerns that women may misinterpret their sleep quality, leading to unnecessary stress and potentially harmful conclusions about their sleep patterns.