Women Sleep Deprived A National Sleep Foundation study finds the majority of American women are continually sleep deprived, either because of young children, biological changes (pregnancy and menopause), stress or pets. The impact on families, personal and professional lives, and society is enormous. The lack of sleep causes them to be late to work, experience high stress, feel depressed or anxious, forego exercise, be too tired for sex, drive while drowsy and have little time for personal or family relationships. Most acute among working moms, the primary cause is their efforts to “do it all” (fulfill all their work, childcare, family and spousal responsibilities). Biological changes complicate matters further. They average only 6 hours in bed per night. (UCSF News 3/6/07)