2. “Mental Load” and Psychological Stress
This is often the most important factor. “Mental load” refers to the invisible and constant planning required to manage a household and family.
The wife/mother is often the “household manager”: She’s the one who remembers doctor’s appointments, birthdays, buys gifts, plans meals, knows what’s missing from the refrigerator, organizes the children’s activities, etc. This constant planning is mentally exhausting and can make it difficult to “switch off” the brain to fall asleep.
Greater tendency to ruminate: Women are statistically more likely to dwell on problems and worries (rumination) before going to sleep, which affects the quality of sleep.
3. Interrupted Sleep Patterns
Response to children: In couples with young children, it’s common for the mother to be the first to wake up when a child cries. This fragments her sleep and prevents her from reaching the deeper, more restorative stages.
Higher incidence of insomnia: Women suffer more from insomnia than men, often related to stress and the hormonal factors mentioned.
