Double shift, half the sleep: India's women lose rest to unpaid work

From late-night chores to early alarms, Indian women's sleep is sacrificed for the family's routine

Sleep is more than just rest. Doctors say it is a foundation of health, productivity, and well-being. Yet, India’s latest Time Use in India, 2024, a report by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation of the Government of India, covering over 450,000 people across the country, reveals that millions are struggling to get enough uninterrupted sleep. A Livemint analysis of the dataset highlights how sleep patterns differ by age, gender, region, and social role in India.

Why do Indian women sleep less than men?

One of the starkest findings is the gap between men and women. According to the report, working women in India sleep about 10 minutes less per day than working men and get fewer continuous hours of night sleep. Their average night-time rest is under eight hours, while men manage about 20 minutes more. The reason? Women juggle the notorious “double shift”: paid work followed by household duties. Interrupted sleep, late-night chores, and early wake-ups are routine for them. 

 

Homemakers paint a different picture. While they sleep less at night compared to men in the family, they compensate with daytime naps, pushing their total daily rest beyond nine hours. But experts stress that fragmented sleep is less restorative than a solid block of night sleep. 

When do Indians sleep? Insights by age, region, and gender

Globally, health authorities recommend 7–9 hours of sleep for adults. Yet, fewer than half of Indian women in their 20s and 30s meet this benchmark. Men fare better with over 60 per cent across age groups crossing the eight-hour mark. 

The 2024 survey underscores how sleep deprivation is most acute during prime working and child-rearing years. For women in their 30s, sleep dips to about 7.6 hours daily. Men hit their lowest point in their 40s, but still hover around eight hours.

Bedtime by demography 

• Rural India: Men and women go to bed around 9:50 pm, but women wake up about 26 minutes earlier (5:40 am). 
• Urban India: The gap persists as women rise about half an hour earlier than men. 
• Youth: Late bedtimes are common. Over 55 per cent of urban teens go to bed after 10 pm, with screen time (TV or phones) a major culprit. 
• Elderly: Seniors sleep more than 10 hours a day on average, but many struggle with sleeplessness—about one in 10 above age 70 report at least 30 minutes awake at night.

Screens, chores, and sleeplessness: What disrupts India’s sleep?

The survey also asked participants what they did right before sleeping: 

• Screens dominate: Watching TV or videos is the top pre-sleep activity, especially among urban men, teens, and tech professionals. In Bengaluru, nearly 44 per cent end their day with screens. 
• Women’s chores continue late: Up to 18 per cent of rural women and 16 per cent of urban women clean the kitchen as their last activity of the day. For men, this number is negligible. 
• Sleeplessness in the elderly: Beyond screens and chores, India’s older population reports higher levels of lying awake at night, particularly in Uttarakhand, Tripura, and Nagaland.

How India’s single time zone affects sleep patterns across regions

India runs on one time zone, but the sun rises and sets 90 minutes earlier in the east than in the west. Unsurprisingly, eastern states wake up earlier but go to bed slightly later, cutting into their total sleep time. Meanwhile, western states like Gujarat and Maharashtra show the latest bedtimes.

How broken sleep affects women’s health and well-being

Sleep quality matters as much as duration. About 1.5 per cent of respondents reported disruptions such as tending to children, preparing meals, or late-night eating. For women, childcare at night was a leading cause, part of what researchers call a “fourth shift”. Such interruptions may not sound huge but can compound health risks like diabetes, heart disease, and depression.

Key sleep insights from India’s 2024 Time Use Survey

• 70 per cent of rural Indians and 64 per cent of urban Indians in working age get eight hours of sleep. 
• Sleep deprivation is worst in Delhi, Bihar, Assam, Odisha, and Kerala, where less than half of women meet the eight-hour mark.
• Delhi fares worst at just 42 per cent. 
• Napping is most common in eastern and western India (around 50 minutes daily), but least in the northeast. 
• Those who go to bed after midnight average 7.7 hours of sleep, compared to nine-plus hours for those asleep earlier.

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This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.