Sleep patterns of Canadian women across the life course: A systematic review

The prevalence of poor sleep is increasing. Women and men have different sleep needs, and uniquely female life transitions, such as the perinatal period and menopause, are associated with further differences in sleep patterns. In Canada, sleep disparities across socioeconomic groups are profound, but sleep research rarely differentiates between women and men.

To examine the current evidence on the sleep quality and quantity of Canadian women using a life course perspective, drawing comparisons to men's sleep where possible, and to identify correlates associated with poor sleep to help determine avenues for improving women's sleep health.

Systematic review.

A literature search was conducted in August 2024 to identify observational studies examining the relationship between sleep and potential correlates. Community-based studies set in Canada with exclusively female participants, or those in which results were stratified by sex, were included. Risk of bias was assessed using tools developed by the CLARITY group at McMaster University. Outcomes were summarized narratively.

Fifty-five studies (including 25,952,718 total participants) were included. Among children and adolescents, short sleep was associated with poorer biopsychosocial health, particularly among girls. Sleep was affected by the menstrual cycle, and sleep difficulties were more prevalent among adult women than men. The perinatal period was fraught with sleep disturbances that influenced key aspects of motherhood. Sleep dissatisfaction was prevalent among perimenopausal and older women.

Canadian women have different sleep patterns than men, and their sleep is negatively affected in uniquely female life transitions. Poor sleep is influenced by, and impacts, women's health and behaviors. Characterizing these differences is an important step toward improving sleep health, and thus overall well-being, for women. Future research would benefit from further exploration of the role of social determinants of health and sleep.

PROSPERO CRD42024582007.