"They know sleep is important - but don't know where to turn" - new report shows women at the sharp end of sleep struggles
Stress and anxiety key drivers of poor sleep for women
A new national survey of 1,000 people has revealed that while 97 percent of Americans recognise the importance of sleep, only 7 percent say they wake feeling truly rested.
And for women, the numbers are even more troubling.
According to The State of Sleep Health 2025, by digital sleep clinic Dreem Health and The Sunrise Group, over half of women (56 percent) don’t always wake up feeling refreshed.
Stress and anxiety are key drivers — with 57 percent of women citing them as sleep disruptors, compared to just 46 percent of men. Women are also more likely (39 percent) to turn to sleep aids, both over-the-counter and prescription, in an attempt to reclaim some rest.
And yet, science tells us women need more sleep than men. According to the Sleep Foundation, women require on average 11 additional minutes per night - a small but meaningful margin that too often goes unmet. It’s a cumulative sleep debt that plays out across women’s physical, mental, and professional lives.
“The real issue is that patients don't know where to turn,” says Dr. William Lu, Medical Director at Dreem Health.
“If you break a leg, you go to the hospital. But when sleep becomes a struggle, most people assume it's just part of life or worse, something they're to blame for. They know sleep is important, but they don’t know where to turn for real help. That’s the sleep care gap we need to close — and that’s exactly what we’re solving with Dreem Health.”
When sleep inequality becomes a health equity issue
Sleep is often overlooked in the broader conversation around women’s health — overshadowed by fertility, hormonal health, or mental health — yet can play an underpinning role in all of these. Hormonal fluctuations, caregiving roles, and chronic underdiagnosis of conditions like sleep apnea all contribute to the disparity.
Women are more likely to experience insomnia, and less likely to be screened or treated for conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea. Only 38 percent of Americans overall are familiar with the risks of sleep apnea, according to the survey — a gap with serious consequences for women, whose symptoms often differ from those seen in men and are frequently missed in clinical settings.
“Understanding this gap is key,” says Laurent Martinot, CEO of Sunrise. “What I've learned is that technology alone isn't the solution. What truly works is combining smart technology with expert care.”
Dreem Health also points out that the silent sleep crisis is also costing employers. RAND Corporation estimates that poor sleep costs the U.S. economy $411 billion annually in lost productivity.
Dreem Health, now under Sunrise’s umbrella, is looking to meet that unmet demand — offering diagnosis, expert coaching, and personalised treatment in one virtual platform.