Even though they might not believe it, older women sleep longer and better than older men, according to a study published in the journal Sleep, reports HealthDay News.

During the study, women self-reported shorter total sleep time, a longer period before succumbing to sleep and lower sleep efficiency than men. In actuality, however, researchers found women slept an average of 16 minutes longer, had 1.2 percent higher sleep efficiency and less fragmented sleep than men.

Researchers attribute the discrepancy between the women’s self-reported and actual quality of sleep to factors such as depressive symptoms and sleep medication. (Women are more likely to use sleep meds than men.)

Researchers were surprised to find that women slept longer and better and reported their sleep duration more accurately than men.

“The difference between subjective and objective sleep arises not because women are more likely to be complainers, but because men strongly overestimate their sleep duration,” said lead investigator Henning Tiemeier, MD.

Find out why African Americans don’t get enough sleep and how to get more here.