Women have long complained of being kept awake by their snoring husbands – while he sleeps contentedly like a log.
But scientists claim the reality is the other way round and women are by far the better sleepers.
Worryingly for the chaps, the experts also believe men’s lack of good-quality shut-eye explains why they suffer more heart attacks.
Researchers found that men find it more difficult to fall into very deep sleep, which increased their risk of high blood pressure and heart problems.
They are also more likely to wake during the night – sometimes due to their own loud snoring – and consequently get fewer hours of deep uninterrupted slumber, known as ‘slow-wave sleep’.
The U.S. scientists, from Harvard University, say that those who get less of this type of sleep are more prone to suffer from high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Around one man in five in Britain dies from a heart attack, compared with just one woman in seven.
The Harvard study, published in the journal of the American Heart Association, looked at the sleeping habits of 784 men over 65.
At various intervals scientists measured their sleep quality, levels of brain activity during sleep and how often they woke at night.
The researchers found that men who had the least amount of deep sleep were 80 per cent more likely to develop high blood pressure.
These men spent just 4 per cent of their sleeping time in deep sleep, compared with an average person’s level of 15 per cent.
Although the study did not include women, separate U.S. research has shown they get an average of 7 per cent more deep sleep than men.
The scientists say men’s trouble with deep sleep could be because they are more likely to suffer from a condition called sleep apnoea, which is characterised by breathing problems and loud snoring.
Lead researcher Susan Redline said: ‘Our study shows for the first time that poor-quality sleep, reflected by reduced slow-wave sleep, puts individuals at significantly increased risk of developing high blood pressure.
'Although women were not included in this study, it’s quite likely that those who have lower levels of slow-wave sleep for any number of reasons may also have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure.’
Natasha Stewart, of the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘We would need to see more research in other age groups and involving women to confirm this particular association.
‘However, we do know that sleep is essential for staying healthy. It’s important we all try to make sleep a priority and get our six to eight hours of shut-eye a night.’
The Harvard findings fly in the face of a survey by the British Lung Foundation, which suggested women suffer the worst sleep.
Its poll of 2,500 adults revealed that 40 per cent of women said they were kept awake by snoring husbands and were twice as likely as men to report losing sleep.
But scientists claim the reality is the other way round and women are by far the better sleepers.
Worryingly for the chaps, the experts also believe men’s lack of good-quality shut-eye explains why they suffer more heart attacks.
Bad news for the chaps: Men find it more difficult to fall into very deep sleep, putting them at risk of high blood pressure
They are also more likely to wake during the night – sometimes due to their own loud snoring – and consequently get fewer hours of deep uninterrupted slumber, known as ‘slow-wave sleep’.
The U.S. scientists, from Harvard University, say that those who get less of this type of sleep are more prone to suffer from high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Around one man in five in Britain dies from a heart attack, compared with just one woman in seven.
The Harvard study, published in the journal of the American Heart Association, looked at the sleeping habits of 784 men over 65.
At various intervals scientists measured their sleep quality, levels of brain activity during sleep and how often they woke at night.
The researchers found that men who had the least amount of deep sleep were 80 per cent more likely to develop high blood pressure.
These men spent just 4 per cent of their sleeping time in deep sleep, compared with an average person’s level of 15 per cent.
Although the study did not include women, separate U.S. research has shown they get an average of 7 per cent more deep sleep than men.
Lead researcher Susan Redline said: ‘Our study shows for the first time that poor-quality sleep, reflected by reduced slow-wave sleep, puts individuals at significantly increased risk of developing high blood pressure.
'Although women were not included in this study, it’s quite likely that those who have lower levels of slow-wave sleep for any number of reasons may also have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure.’
Natasha Stewart, of the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘We would need to see more research in other age groups and involving women to confirm this particular association.
‘However, we do know that sleep is essential for staying healthy. It’s important we all try to make sleep a priority and get our six to eight hours of shut-eye a night.’
The Harvard findings fly in the face of a survey by the British Lung Foundation, which suggested women suffer the worst sleep.
Its poll of 2,500 adults revealed that 40 per cent of women said they were kept awake by snoring husbands and were twice as likely as men to report losing sleep.
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