Women who combine careers with household responsibilities experience significantly poorer sleep quality and a higher risk of mental health disorders. This conclusion was reached by researchers at Osaka University after analyzing the lives of nearly 4,000 working women aged 40–64. The findings were published in Social Science & Medicine.
Although women formally spend fewer hours in paid employment than men, their “total working day” is much longer due to domestic responsibilities. Around 90% of women engage in tasks such as cleaning, laundry, and childcare, compared to only 40% of men.
This extended workload reduces time for restorative sleep and increases the risk of depressive symptoms. Professor Akiko Morimoto emphasizes that unpaid care work is as demanding as formal employment. Its exclusion from official statistics continues to hinder progress toward gender equality and negatively impacts public health.
