Men and Sleep

Sleep is essential and we need sleep to function. According to the National Institutes of Health, inadequate sleep can cause slower reaction times, weaker concentration, mood fluctuations, behavior problems, memory lapses, and accidents and injuries. Sleep is critically important, and best of all, free. So why do so many people have problems with sleeping?

There are a variety of answers to that question, but one researcher looked at how sleeping attitudes might affect sleep, specifically in men. Robert Meadows researched the type of attitudes men have about sleeping and found that men's masculine roles can lead to poor sleeping habits. Meadows interviewed men to investigate their sleep behaviors and attitudes. Many of the men bragged about how little sleep they're able to get to function. Others talked about sleep as a "bodily need", saying that their body needs sleep rather than 'I want' sleep. Some talked about sleep only as a necessity to function for a job. Many said that sleep "is a waste of time" and that sleep should never get in the way of "having a life." A lot of the men talked about sleep as if it were a "wimpy" activity that conflicted with more important necessities, whether it be work or social activities.

The author argues that there are social meanings attached to sleep which could conflict with social gender roles men have as being "hard-working," self-sufficient individuals. The author states, "men are demonstrating dominant norms of masculinity when they refuse to take sick leave from work, when they insist they need little sleep..." There seems to be a balancing act where sleep is important for some activities but not as important for others.

Overall, it seems that men's attitudes regarding sleep are based, in some part, on masculine attitudes found in our culture.