Gardeners share their favorite tools to use while gardening

• July 30, 2024

Most gardeners would cite their pruners as their favorite tool, probably because pruners are one of our most utilized tools. I never go into my garden without my pruners. Interestingly, my informal survey of master gardeners, members of the Marin Garden Club and friends yielded four different brands.

Not surprisingly, several people liked a couple of brands of Japanese pruners. The Japanese are known for their long-lasting tools. If you haven’t been there, check out the Japanese tool shop Hida Tool & Hardware Co. in Berkeley. I bought a pole pruner there a couple of decades ago, and someone dropped it and somehow broke a part, which they promptly fixed for $15. There’s also a wonderful Japanese hardware store Soko Hardware in Japantown.

Many gardeners use Swiss pruners, which are pretty much the industry standard because of their wide range of sizes and replaceable parts. One friend told me that she uses a little pink pruner she paid $1 dollar for. She lives in a condo but has a large deck with huge pots of succulents, which certainly need occasional pruning, along with indoor plants.

I keep an extra pruner in my car along with a bucket and a large bottle of water in case I happen to buy flowers and have other errands to run. You never know when you might find nice flowers.

A collection of hand tools that can be used in the garden. (Diane Lynch/Marin Master Gardeners)

A keen gardener I know swears by cardboard to wipe out small patches of weeds. She cuts weeds to the ground, covers them with several cardboard layers, wetting them down to conform to the terrain, and covers them with mulch. She also loves a little hand rake that acts like an extension of her arm to reach under plants for cleanup and to spread mulch.

Another avid gardener always carries her pruners and hori hori knife, which are handy for cutting errant roots, scraping, digging and planting bulbs and other plants. The Dutch are known for their wonderful array of small garden tools, including trowels with specific purposes and hori hori knives.

I’ve talked to a couple of people recently who have small battery-powered chain saws. One friend, whom I didn’t imagine using a chain saw, said she loves it because it’s quiet, lightweight and will cut branches up to about 3 inches.

Another friend told me that he uses a post-hole digger for planting small plants. Genius! I wish I’d asked him earlier, but this is a great way to plant tomato plants after removing the lower leaves. Tomatoes are one of the few plants that will sprout roots along the stem, so you should cut the lowest leaves and plant them deep, which allows them to conserve water and develop a large root system.

The three-legged orchard ladder is much more stable than the four-legged variety. (Diane Lynch/Marin Master Gardeners)

Here’s another great idea. As we age, our skin sometimes gets thin and fragile. A garden club friend with a huge garden in Ross loves her shin guards from any sports store, which protect her legs from nasty bruises and cuts.

I have a small tool with a double-sided head: a chopping blade on one side and a short little rake/cultivator on the other. It’s great for mixing compost into pots and other small chores.

A couple of other gardeners mentioned Grampa’s Weeder, a device that grabs the weed as you step on the little pedal that wrenches it out.

“Very satisfying,” one commented.

Loppers are a favorite tool of many gardeners and several favor the lightweight bypass ones. Older loppers are great for strong people, but the wood handles make them quite heavy. One person told me she loves to prune with her loppers and finds it “almost therapeutic.”

No one mentioned the orchard ladder, so I’ll put in a pitch for this essential tool if you prune above your head. Three legs make it sit level even on uneven or slightly sloped terrain. Mine are old wood ones, but there are newer aluminum ones that look pretty nifty. The ladder is probably the most dangerous tool we use in the garden. Years ago, I heard about someone’s mother who fell off a ladder and spent an entire year in the hospital after tearing her heart. A friend recently spent several weeks in the hospital and rehab after a nasty fall.

Remember to keep your tools clean, sharp and oiled. They’ll last a long time and serve you well.

Sponsored by UC Cooperative Extension, the University of California Marin Master Gardeners provides science- and research-based information for Marin home gardeners. Email questions to [email protected]. Attach photos for inquiries about plant pests or diseases. Please call 415-473-4910 to see when a master gardener will be at the office or drop off samples 24/7 in the sample box outside the office. To attend a gardening workshop or subscribe to Leaflet, a free quarterly e-newsletter, go to marinmg.ucanr.edu.

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In an arena full of Oscar and Grammy winners, Simone Biles will be Olympic final’s star attraction

• July 30, 2024

PARIS – It was a familiar site: Anna Wintour, the longtime Vogue editor-in-chief, sitting in a place of prominence amid a constellation of stars from the entertainment industry next to a Parisian runway.

Only this wasn’t Paris Fashion Week but the opening day of the Olympic Games women’s gymnastics competition.

“It is important always to have really original talent,” Wintour once said. She was talking about designers, but she could have just as easily been speaking of Simone Biles, the most original and transformative talent the sport of gymnastics has ever seen.

Wintour is expected to be among the who’s who of Oscar winners and nominees, Grammy winners, super models and heads of state at the Bercy Arena Tuesday on a night the sport has waited three years to watch Biles and the U.S. attempt to reclaim the Olympic team gold medal.

And an audience that is expected to include Tom Cruise, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, will see Biles in all four acts of Tuesday’s epic.

While there was speculation that Team USA might hold Biles, the 27-year-old four-time Olympic and 23-time World champion, out of one of the four rotations Tuesday after she limped through parts of Saturday’s opening round after straining a calf muscle in training, USA Gymnastics confirmed that she will compete in all four events in the team final.

Jordan Chiles, Biles’ training partner and one of four returning members of Team USA’s silver medal squad at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, will start the Americans off on the vault, followed by Jade Carey, the Olympic floor exercise champion three years ago, and Biles. Chiles and Biles will set up reigning Olympic champion Suni Lee on the uneven bars. Biles will anchor the U.S. on the final two rotations, the balance beam and floor exercise. Chiles is scheduled to lead off on the beam followed by Lee with the pair switching the order on the floor.

“She’s bringing the sport to a whole new level,” Sanne Wevers, the 2016 Olympic beam gold medalist for Netherlands, said of the 2016 Olympic all-around champion. “It’s not just the level (of skills) she shows, but also the awareness she brings about things like mental health. That makes the sport even better.”

Despite the sore calf, Biles became the first female gymnast to successfully land–or even attempt – a Yurchenko double pike vault also known as the Biles 2.0. Her 59.566 all-around score was the highest among all of Saturday’s qualifying sub-divisions.

“It was pretty amazing – 59.5(66), four for four, not perfect,” said Team USA coach Cecile Landi, who also coaches Biles at World Champion Centre in Spring, Texas. “So she can improve even.”

Improvement has been a recurring theme within a Team USA determined to erase the bitter memory of a controversial silver medal finish in Tokyo.

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On the opening rotation of the team final, Biles suffered “the Twisties,” a psychologically induced gymnastics form of vertigo, on the vault and had to cut her routine a rotation short. She touched down but still found no direction of home. How could she with so many pointing her in so many different directions?

Biles withdrew from the remainder of a team competition in which the U.S. finished second to Russia as well as the individual all-around, vault, uneven bars and floor exercise finals.

“This is definitely our redemption tour,” Biles said. “We all have more to give and our Tokyo performance wasn’t the best. We weren’t under the best circumstances either, but I feel like we have a lot of weight on our shoulders to go out there and prove we’re better athletes, we’re more mature. We’re smarter, more consistent.”

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RHOBH alum Teddi Mellencamp’s family nabs $5M for their Dana Point home

• July 30, 2024

“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave’s former home in Capistrano Beach, center with the red roof, recently sold for $4.95 million. (Google Earth)

A two-story Dana Point home on the sand linked to “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave recently sold for $4.95 million.

The 1954 bungalow spans 2,738 square feet and sits on an extra-deep lot on Beach Road in guard-gated Capistrano Beach. Under its beamed ceilings are five bedrooms, three bathrooms and dual Nano accordion glass doors that open to a beach-level patio covered by a pergola with a fire pit.

A low wall separates it from the sand and surf beyond.

Records viewed at PropertyShark.com show that on the day the house sold for $3.25 million in December 2014, the reality personality transferred ownership to her second husband, Edwin, the CEO and founder of Skyline Security Management. He then placed ownership into a living trust in February 2016.

In April 2024, the house hit the market for $5.295 million.

The buyers are a Riverside couple working in the medical field. On July 19, records show they bought the beachfront property through an LLC for 7% less than the listed price.

Inside, the open-concept design has been updated. There’s a stone fireplace with a floor-to-ceiling black marble surround and raised hearth, an open dining area and a solarium-style bonus room. The all-white kitchen includes stainless steel GE Monogram appliances, a built-in refrigerator and a waterfall-edge peninsula with seating.

Glass doors open from the primary suite onto a large sun deck.

A two-car garage with driveway parking for three more vehicles adds to the offering.

Doug Echelberger of Inhabit Estate was the listing agent. Vinod Desar of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Realty represented the buyers.

Arroyave, 43, is a reality TV personality best known for her run as a primary cast member on Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” from 2017 to 2020. She is the founder of All In by Teddi, a weight-loss accountability coaching program.

In addition, she co-hosts the weekly Bravo-centric podcast “Two Ts in a Pod” with fellow ex-“housewife” Tamra Judge. She is the daughter of heartland rocker John Mellencamp, whose catalog of hits includes “Jack and Diane,” “Hurts So Good,” “Pink Houses,” “Small Town”  and “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.”

Arroyave shares three children with her husband and is stepmother to his daughter from a previous relationship.

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Jim Harbaugh gets up-close look at Chargers’ O-line vs. D-line battles

• July 30, 2024

EL SEGUNDO — Jim Harbaugh played quarterback at the University of Michigan and then with the Chicago Bears, the Indianapolis Colts, the Baltimore Ravens and the Chargers during a stellar 14-year career in the NFL. So, maybe it wasn’t all that strange to see him assuming the position for a drill Monday.

Actually, given what we’ve seen from him since training camp began last week and, in fact, during spring practices, perhaps it was to be expected. After all, he has joined his players in the weight room and participated in other drills over the days, weeks and months since he was hired last winter.

This time, Harbaugh took snaps from center Bradley Bozeman with the offensive lineman engaging in one-on-one battles with the defensive linemen during the Chargers’ first day in pads. Harbaugh didn’t get hit once. So, did the offensive linemen win the competition against the defensive linemen?

Harbaugh couldn’t say definitely without reviewing the video.

Rookie right tackle Joe Alt was matched against veteran edge rusher Joey Bosa in one of the more intriguing battles. Harbaugh cautioned Bosa for getting a little too aggressive with Alt with a bull-rush on their first matchup. Left tackle Rashawn Slater was paired with edge rusher Khalil Mack in another key battle.

It was the most physical period in camp to date.

“It was really good,” Harbaugh said of the competition. “Somebody asked me who won. We’re going to have to go to the tape to figure that one out. It was a good give and take. Both sides. Just kind of what you want to see. You don’t want to see the offense dominate the defense at this stage, for sure. You could have the defense dominate the offense in these early stages of camp. That would be OK.”

Asked for his impressions of Alt, the fifth pick in the draft in April, Harbaugh said, “Acquitted himself well.” Harbaugh later said Bosa was guilty of a “tempo violation,” going a little too aggressively in a bull-rush attempt against Alt. Harbaugh reminded Bosa to throttle back a little bit.

After only five days of training camp, it would appear that Alt has won the starter’s job at right tackle, supplanting Trey Pipkins III. In fact, the entire offensive line appears set with Pipkins shifting to right guard, Bozeman at center, Slater at left tackle and Zion Johnson at left guard.

“Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve been fortunate to have really good players on the offensive line,” Harbaugh said. “It goes to show you there are no good coaches without good players, and that goes for the team overall. Really been blessed to have good offensive linemen. That is a group that has to play five players as one.”

CLICKING TOGETHER

Bozeman signed with the Chargers as a free agent after spending two seasons with the Carolina Panthers and four with the Ravens. His job isn’t an easy one, having been given the role as protector of standout quarterback Justin Herbert and assisting in the Chargers’ attempts to bolster their ground game.

“Justin has been playing at a super-high level,” Bozeman said. “You have to go in and earn those kinds of guys’ respect. I’ve got to come in here and earn my respect and show what I can do. It’s all great in shorts and shirt, but when you put on the pads, that’s when you start to figure out who guys are.”

Herbert spent two-plus seasons working with Corey Linsley before Linsley suffered a heart ailment that forced him to retire. Herbert and Linsley developed a relationship that enabled both to excel at their positions, with Herbert throwing for a Chargers record 5,014 yards in the 2021 season.

Herbert and Bozeman are still developing their connection.

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“He’s telling me more than I’m telling him, but there’s a big line of communication there,” Bozeman said. “We’re sitting there making sure we’re all on the same page. When I have a recommendation I’ll throw it out there, but he’s running the show. Our relationship is really good. It’ll continue to grow as we work together.”

GILMAN SIDELINED

Safety Alohi Gilman was absent from practice, and he had a good reason.

“The team got bigger and stronger,” Harbaugh bellowed when asked about Gilman’s absence. “Alohi and his wife had a baby (girl). The measurables are good. Close to nine pounds. Got some length. Twenty-one inches. Haven’t got the wingspan yet. Hopefully, we’ll get that (later) today.”

​ Orange County Register 

What to watch at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, July 30

• July 29, 2024

Simone Biles leads the U.S. women into the gymnastics team final as part of an action-packed slate Tuesday at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Here is a guide of what to look out for:

Biles in gymnastics team final despite injury

The 27-year-old Biles is in the lineup to compete in all four events of the team final despite a calf injury. Biles tweaked her left calf while warming up for floor exercise during qualifying on Sunday. She still topped the all-around with the highest scores on floor and vault.

Simone Biles of United States, has her ankle taped after competing on the uneven bars during a women’s artistic gymnastics qualification round at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Competition begins at 6:15 p.m. CEST (12:15 p.m. EST) at Bercy Arena. The Americans are favored to win gold after finishing runner-up to Russia in 2021.

Biles’ teammate Jordan Chiles also will compete in all four events. Chiles finished fourth in the all-around during qualifying behind Biles, Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade and 2020 Olympic champion Sunisa Lee.

U.S. women start defense of 3×3 basketball title

The U.S. women begin defense of their 2021 Olympic title in 3×3 basketball when the competition begins Tuesday. Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard of the WNBA join Hailey Van Lith, a college basketball player at Texas Christian University, and former WNBA player Cierra Burdick on the team. They will face Germany at 5:30 p.m. CEST (11 a.m. EST) at La Concorde.

Later, the U.S. 3×3 men’s team will take on Serbia. The U.S. men did not qualify for the Olympics in 2021.

Katie Ledecky back in pool, swimming finals continue

Ledecky is back in the pool to compete in the women’s 1,500-meter freestyle, one of her signature events. The qualifying heats start at 11:44 a.m. CEST (5:44 a.m. EST) at Paris La Defense Arena. Ledecky is the world and Olympic record holder in the event and is a favorite to defend her 2021 title.

Gold medalist Ariarne Titmus, of Australia, middle, stands with silver medalist Summer McIntosh, of Canada, right, and bronze medalist Katie Ledecky, of the United States, after winning the women’s 400-meters freestyle final the at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

The women’s 100 backstroke final will take place at 8:56 p.m. CEST (2:56 p.m. EST). That’ll be followed by the men’s 800 free final. Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen qualified in first place in the heats at 7:41.53.

The last swimming final Tuesday is the men’s 4×200 free relay at 10:01 p.m. CEST (4 p.m. EST).

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Gold in women’s rugby sevens

The gold and bronze medal matches for women’s rugby sevens add to the excitement of Tuesday’s slate. The bronze match at Stade de France will start at 7 p.m. CEST (1 p.m. EST), followed by the gold medal match at 7:45 p.m.

New Zealand, the defending champion, was set to take on China in a quarterfinal Monday night. Britain and the United States were to begin their quarterfinal match Monday at 9:30 p.m. CEST (3:30 p.m. EST). And Tokyo runner-up France was scheduled to face Canada at 10 p.m.

​ Orange County Register 

Santiago Canyon College’s international program supports students from 26 countries

• July 29, 2024

Students in SCC’s International Students Program come from 26 countries from around the world, including China, Brazil, India, Vietnam, Ski Lanka, France, Mexico and Colombia. As the 2024 fall semester nears, enrollment is inching toward last fall’s high of 101 students.

The number of international students has been growing steadily each year since the COVID-19 pandemic, the program’s director, Jetza Torres, said. “We’re doing very, very well in our program.”

Santiago Canyon College has a reputation in the U.S. and abroad for its high-quality academic programs and student support services, Torres explained. In May, she accepted an Export Achievement Certificate from the Deputy Undersecretary for International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce. The certificate recognizes businesses and educational institutions for their work with overseas markets.

The program recently was presented with a commendation from Rep. Young Kim, who represents California’s 40th congressional district.

Students in foreign countries learn about SCC from their high school counselors, recruiters, educational agencies or friends and family.

They’re attracted to SCC by the student-centered approach, personalized attention and its safe and welcoming environment, Torres said. They also appreciate the small class sizes where they won’t get lost. “Most of our international students come from private high schools where they are accustomed to classrooms with fewer students,” she said.

Business administration is a popular program among international students as are the many STEM programs, she points out.

The college accepts international students three times a year. “We have three intakes—we accept students in fall, spring and summer,” she said, explaining that this is to accommodate the high school calendars in foreign countries. “Our work at the international office never stops because we are recruiting, we are accepting applications, reviewing applications and issuing those admissions letters all year round.”

Jetza Torres received an Export Achievement Certificate from the Deputy Undersecretary for International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce in recognition of SCC’s International Students Program. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, contributing photographer)

One recent SCC graduate, Muhammad Shahmir Shamim, 21, who was born in Pakistan and grew up in Saudi Arabia, had already enrolled in another U.S. college when he visited SCC at the invitation of a friend. He was immediately impressed with the friendliness of everyone he met on campus. He was even invited to sit in on a class he was interested in.

“Although they were full, they included me in the class,” he said. “And it was really, really welcoming.” He filled out all the paperwork as soon as he could and began attending SCC.

He encouraged his younger brother, Muhammad Shahwar Shamim, to also come to SCC. It wasn’t hard to convince him.

“First, I’m already there, so I knew the atmosphere,” said Shamim of his brother’s decision to join him. “Second, because of how helpful everyone is at Santiago Canyon College — not just international students, but everyone.”

Muhammad Shahmir studied computer science and will be transferring to UC Irvine. His younger brother worked hard so that he could graduate at the same time. He, too, studied computer science and is transferring to Cal State Fullerton.

The brothers credit their parents, both engineers and college professors in Saudi Arabia, for instilling in them the drive to get an education. Studying so far from home, they appreciate the support SCC provides.

The International Students program hosted students from 26 countries all over the world, and the number continues to grow. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, contributing photographer)

“The international student program office takes pride in offering exceptional customer service in college experience to ensure a student’s success,” said Torres, admitting that her business background causes her to express the success in business terms. She has worked in international business and education for more than 20 years. “The program helps them integrate into the campus socially and academically so they can transfer to a four-year college. Our students are our priority,” she said.

Looking back on their years at SCC, the Shamim brothers happily recalled the many social activities organized by SCC’s International Student Program, such as outings to baseball games and Universal Studios. During exams, students were taken to the beach to enjoy pizza and a bonfire to give them a break from the stress of studying.

International students bring a meaningful dimension to campus life, Torres said. “There is no doubt that hosting international students has many advantages for any U.S. education institution,” she said. “It promotes global citizens, promotes intercultural understanding and enhances that diversity of perspective in class discussions. We can all benefit from that.”

Whether in the classroom or outside, meeting students from other countries broadens the view of American students. “Just interacting with international students from different backgrounds enables all students to form new perspectives and perhaps see the world in a different way,” Torres said. “Bringing people from around the world into campus is a great way to learn about the experiences of others and allow us to be more understanding and respectful of those differences. So, international students promote cultural awareness and enhance that diversity of perspective in class discussions.”

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Dodgers add Tommy Edman, Michael Kopech in three-team trade

• July 29, 2024

The Dodgers made a three-team trade they hope will help them in at least two ways.

On one leg of the deal, they acquired switch-hitting utilityman Tommy Edman from the St. Louis Cardinals. On the other, they added right-handed reliever Michael Kopech from the Chicago White Sox. The Dodgers also received 17-year-old right-hander Oliver Gonzalez who is currently pitching in the Dominican Summer League.

In exchange, they gave up Miguel Vargas, once considered the top prospect in the Dodgers’ system, and two infielders from Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, Jeral Perez and Alexander Albertus. Both Perez and Albertus were ranked among the Dodgers’ top 20 prospects by Baseball America. Perez appeared in the All-Star Futures Game earlier this month.

Also in the deal, the St. Louis Cardinals acquired right-handed starter Erick Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham.

In Edman, the Dodgers add a former Gold Glove winner (at second base in 2021) who was also a finalist in 2022 and 2023 when a utility position was added to the award – but one who hasn’t played a major-league game in 2024.

Edman had surgery on his right wrist last October and missed the first half of this season while recovering. He began a rehab assignment in Double-A earlier this month but his return was pushed back when he suffered a sprained ankle while doing defensive drills. He resumed his rehab assignment after the All-Star break and has played eight games – but only as a DH.

When healthy, Edman is an excellent defender who has played six positions – second and third base, shortstop and all three outfield positions. He could fill in at shortstop until Miguel Rojas returns or give the Dodgers another option in the outfield with Vargas traded and neither James Outman nor Andy Pages providing consistent offense.

Edman represents an upgrade over Chris Taylor (who is currently on the Injured List) and Kiké  Hernandez (batting .204 in 80 games this season) who have not been productive offensively in utility roles this season. As a switch-hitter, Edman has been slightly better batting left-handed.

In Kopech, the Dodgers add a hard-throwing right-hander who converted from starter to reliever full time this season.

The 33rd overall pick in the 2014 draft, Kopech threw a pitch 105 mph in Class-A in 2016 and was a key part of the trade package the Boston Red Sox sent to Chicago for Chris Sale that year. Kopech made the majors for four starts in 2018 but missed the rest of that season and all of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery then skipped the 2020 season during the COVID pandemic.

In the White Sox rotation for the most part in 2022 and 2023, he went 10-21 with a 4.52 ERA and led the American League in walks last season when he had a 5.43 ERA. Moved to the bullpen this season, Kopech’s fastball has averaged 98.5 mph and he struck out 59 in 43 ⅔ innings but his ERA was 4.74.

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He joins a bullpen that has been breaking under a heavy workload recently with Evan Phillips, in particular, struggling. Over the past 11 games, the Dodgers’ bullpen has a 6.16 ERA.

Neither Edman nor Kopech can become a free agent until after the 2025 season. Edman signed a two-year contract in January that will pay him $7 million this season and $9.5 million in 2025. Kopech will be arbitration eligible for the final time this offseason.

ALSO

The Dodgers also traded right-hander Ricky Vanasco to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for cash considerations. Vanasco was designated for assignment last week. Vanasco made two relief appearances with the Dodgers this season, his first major league action.

UP NEXT

Dodgers (RHP Tyler Glasnow, 8-6, 3.47 ERA) at Padres (RHP Matt Waldron, 6-9, 3.64 ERA), Tuesday, 6:40 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM

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Women need more sleep than men do, studies say

• July 29, 2024

Avery Newmark | The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS)

It turns out there might be a scientific reason behind women needing extra “beauty sleep.” Studies show, on average, women require about 11 minutes more sleep per night than men do. Although this difference might seem small, it can have significant implications for overall health and well-being.

Research is limited, but the reasoning points to hormones, according to the Sleep Foundation. Women experience a roller coaster of hormonal changes throughout their lives — from menstruation to pregnancy and menopause. Each of these stages can disrupt sleep patterns. Women are also 40% more likely than men to suffer from insomnia.

“When it comes to physiology, women’s hormones have a huge role to play in sleep,” Dr. Aileen Alexander, a women’s health and sleep expert, told Glamour magazine. “Overall, this means women are suggested to have a greater need for sleep and are more likely to indulge in daytime naps.”

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Beyond biological factors, societal expectations and responsibilities also contribute to women’s sleep needs. Research has shown women often shoulder the majority of household and caregiving duties, leading to increased fatigue and stress, according to Glamour. “Women are typically the ones who get up through the night to support children or, in some cases, elderly parents,” Alexander said. These added pressures may require more sleep to recover and maintain optimal cognitive function.

However, individual sleep needs can vary from person to person, regardless of sex. Factors such as age, lifestyle and overall health all contribute to a person’s optimal sleep duration.

“While we need more research to understand the gender gap between men and women’s sleep requirements and cycles, the consequences of not getting enough sleep are well evidenced and can have a huge impact on both men and women,” Alexander said.

To get the proper rest you need, experts recommend adults sleep between seven and nine hours a night. If you still find yourself not getting enough rest, talk to your doctor.

©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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