AUTHOR=Dorsey Alanna , de Lecea Luis , Jennings Kimberly J. 

TITLE=Neurobiological and Hormonal Mechanisms Regulating Women’s Sleep

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neuroscience

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2020.625397

DOI=10.3389/fnins.2020.625397

ISSN=1662-453X

ABSTRACT=<p>Sleep is crucial for optimal well-being, and sex differences in sleep quality have significant implications for women’s health. We review the current literature on sex differences in sleep, such as differences in objective and subjective sleep measures and their relationship with aging. We then discuss the convincing evidence for the role of ovarian hormones in regulating female sleep, and survey how these hormones act on a multitude of brain regions and neurochemicals to impact sleep. Lastly, we identify several important areas in need of future research to narrow the knowledge gap and improve the health of women and other understudied populations.</p>