When it comes to how well we sleep (or don't sleep), there does appear to be a difference between the genders.
It's thought that hormonal changes are responsible for many cases of insomnia in women.
If you want to improve your sleep without sleeping pills, moderate intensity exercise can really help.
One American study looked at postmenopausal, overweight or obese, sedentary women aged 50 to 75 years old who were not taking hormone replacement therapy.
It found that those who got half an hour of moderate exercise each morning fell asleep faster at night compared to those who exercised less.
The time of day you exercise seems to be very important, too - the study found that those who exercised at night actually took longer to fall asleep!
If aerobic exercise for sleep is a bit too much for you, you can start off with some simple stretches or yoga - the study found that those who practiced low-intensity stretching were less likely to use sleeping pills.
Source: SLEEP (PDF)
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Last updated: February 1, 2016
