Women face a host of health issues when they lack proper sleep. Heart problems, weight issues, stress, and even car accidents have all been associated with inadequate and/or irregular sleep habits. Additionally, women are more likely than men to have difficulty falling and staying asleep and to experience more daytime sleepiness. The rise and fall of hormone levels each month - and especially the major changes that occur during pregnancy and menopause - can create special sleep problems for females. Many women get too little sleep as a result of busy, stressful lives.

Fortunately, there are a number of approaches women can use to improve their sleep, including regular exercise, establishing regular bed and wake times, dietary changes, and improving the sleep environment. The Better Sleep Council recommends that the bedroom be dark, cool, and quiet. Also, women should sleep on mattresses that provide superior comfort and the right support -- a mattress that's been in use for years may need to be replaced.

To learn more and better understand the quality of your own sleep, visit www.BetterSleep.org and take a variety of quizzes on the topic: bettersleep.org/mattressology/quizzes.asp.

Dr. Amy Wolfson Amy Wolfson is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the College of the Holy Cross, where she has taught since the fall of 1992. She grew up in Connecticut and earned her bachelor’s degree at Harvard and Radcliffe in 1982. Dr. Wolfson completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Washington University (St. Louis) in 1987, and then spent two years at Stanford University doing post-doctoral work on women and depression. Her past research looked at infant sleep and parent stress levels, children’s coping strategies, women’s sleep, and the sleep/wake patterns of young children. Since 1994, she has devoted her research and consulting to adolescents’ (middle and high school age) sleep and daytime functioning such as, academic performance.

Some of her recent work has focused on women’s sleep during pregnancy and the postpartum months. Over the last two years, Dr. Wolfson has worked on developing and evaluating a sleep hygiene program for middle school-age adolescents, the Sleep-Smart Pacesetter Program. In addition, her first book was published in 2001, The Woman’s Book of Sleep: A Complete Resource Guide.