Women are more tired than you think, says NASA (opposite true for men)
One in eight people in the UK are tired all the time, according to a YouGov survey. Not only does tiredness stop people from living healthier lifestyles (you're less likely to be deadlifting when you're knackered), it also comes with health risks.
Tiredness is linked with a weakened immune system, excess stress, metabolic conditions and digestive issues. When we're fatigued, support can go a long way, whether that's someone taking something off your plate or simply showing compassion.
But there's a problem: most people can't work out when women are tired, according to a new study by researchers from NASA. They now say there's a gender bias in fatigue perception – and it's impacting women's lives.
The study
Published in the Sex Roles journal, the research was done to find out whether body language could be used to perceive fatigue in astronauts. The space agency is interested in tiredness because of its link to accidents and errors recorded in space and aviation.
To establish the link, the researchers first asked men and women to rate their fatigue. They then had a five-minute conversation with someone, which was recorded, then showed to viewers without the sound.
Viewers then had to rate how tired they thought the speakers were based on non-verbal cues, such as body language and expression.
The results
Women rated higher levels of fatigue than men. However, their tiredness was routinely rated as lower than men's.
Women had their fatigue underestimated by about 1.3 points, while men had their fatigue overestimated by 0.9 points.
Those who were more non-verbally expressive and attentive were less likely to be judged as fatigued. Women were more likely to display this type of behaviour, which goes some way to explain why women were judged as less tired.
What this means for us
There's a gender bias in fatigue perception, say the researchers. This is likely due to the fact that women are more expressive, even when they are tired, meaning their emotional and mental state may be underestimated.
Their expressiveness may not be innate. Studies have long shown that women face societal expectations to be empathetic, warm and nurturing. For instance, a 2023 study by the Univeristy of Kent reported that women in high-powered positions are 'punished' for lacking warmth traits while men are not. Other studies show women suppress negatively perceived emotions, such as anger.
'This disparity in judgments of fatigue aligns with other studies showing how women’s health symptoms are often minimised or not believed,' study author Morgan D. Stosic, a research psychologist working in the Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, told PsyPost. 'This could have real-world consequences in healthcare provision, like leading to mistakes in diagnosing health issues, delays in proper treatment, and even making women less likely to report fatigue for fear of not being believed.'
We now need new ways to perceive tiredness and mitigate gender bias. Until then, when someone says they're knackered, believe them – even if they don't act it.
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