A father is earning praise online after sharing a glimpse into his morning routine: waking up early to make breakfast for his daughter, while his wife catches some extra sleep.
Niraj Naik explained the reason behind this thoughtful gesture in an Instagram reel about women’s unique physiological needs. Since the video was posted, it has received over 85,000 likes. Newsweek spoke to Naik, 46, and Dr. Emma Lin, pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist, about why women do, in fact, need more sleep—and how their male partners can support them in that.
Naik, who runs the wellness company Soma Breath, posted a video of himself in the kitchen at 6 a.m., writing: “Ladies, your body isn’t just getting through the day. It’s balancing hormones, handling stress, healing, restoring. That takes energy. That takes time. And yes—that takes sleep.” Naik continued: “Science shows women need more rest than men.”
Speaking to Newsweek, Naik elaborated on his family dynamic with this information: “I naturally wake up early as I run a wellness company,” he said. “I have my own morning routine, so this gives my wife a chance to sleep in and get her beauty sleep, which helps her stay as the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Naik reinforced his Instagram message, saying that “men and women are different—we have different hormones and physiology—so we can’t expect us both to have the same routines, moods, or even diet and lifestyle.” He advised readers to “get to know your woman’s needs.”
Naik’s Instagram caption ended with an urge for men to recognize and support the biological differences in their partnerships.
“Men—listen up. Understanding this isn’t just smart. It’s kind,” he wrote. “It’s how we build support, respect and real connection. Honor your rest. Respect her rest.”
Do Women Really Need More Sleep?
The sentiment shared by Naik aligns with expert medical opinions.
Lin, co-founder of ReadyO2.com, weighed in with her professional insights to Newsweek, confirming that women do indeed need more rest.
“Based on what I’ve observed as a sleep doctor, women tend to require more sleep than men. This is also supported by science,” she said. “Women’s brains are wired to multitask, like thinking, planning, taking care and coping and managing stress. As a consequence, they work harder throughout the day, and, thus, they require more restoration at night.”
Lin also highlighted the significant role of hormones. “Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone fluctuate much throughout a woman’s lifetime, like when they are on their period, they are pregnant, or when they are going through menopause,” she added. “Some women wake up more frequently during the night, have difficulty sleeping or don’t enter the deepest part of sleep.”
Lin added that stress can impact women differently from men, affecting their sleep. In her practice, she said she has witnessed many women with “racing minds” at night due to stress.
Regardless of the clear trend, she also noted that certain sleep disturbances are often underdiagnosed among women.
“Many people believe sleep apnea only afflicts loud snoring, older men. It’s not the case. Women experience sleep apnea, too, but it manifests differently; less snoring, more fatigue or even mood swings,” she said. “I’ve diagnosed numerous women who had been informed they were ‘tired moms’ or ‘stressed employees,’ when this was actually a legitimate medical condition.”
Lin stressed an important takeaway: tired does not equal lazy.
“One major myth I’d like to shatter: being perpetually tired isn’t ‘normal’ for women,” she said. “If you’re constantly feeling fatigued, something may be out of balance with your sleep, breathing or physical body … that can be corrected, once you get the right care and support.”
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