The Mystery Of Sleep: Why We Don't Rest

Ada Calhoun's book, 'Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis', explores the unique pressures faced by Gen X women as they approach middle age. Despite having what might be considered markers of success, such as a good career, marriage, and children, many Gen X women are miserable, exhausted, terrified about money, under-employed, and overwhelmed. In her book, Calhoun investigates the reasons behind this phenomenon, exploring housing costs, HR trends, credit card debt averages, and divorce data. She finds that Gen X women, sandwiched between the Boomers and the Millennials, are facing new and largely overlooked problems as they enter middle age. Through conversations with women across America, Calhoun uncovers the struggles of a generation raised to have it all and offers solutions for pulling oneself out of the abyss. The book has been praised as reassuring, empowering, and essential reading for all middle-aged women, and anyone who hopes to understand them.

Gen X women face new problems as they enter middle age

Ada Calhoun's book, *Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis*, explores the unique pressures faced by Gen X women as they enter middle age. In the book, Calhoun, a Gen X woman herself, investigates the reasons behind the unhappiness of Gen X women, despite their apparent success. She found that these women, raised with the expectation that they "could have it all", now faced new problems that were largely being overlooked.

Calhoun's research revealed that Gen X women were exhausted, terrified about money, under-employed, and overwhelmed. They were "sandwiched" between the Boomers and the Millennials, facing challenges that prior generations did not. These challenges included rising housing costs, unstable job markets, credit card debt, and divorce. Instead of being heard, these women were told to "lean in", take "me-time", or get their lives in order.

Calhoun's book delves into the cultural and political contexts of Gen X's predicament, offering solutions to pull oneself out of the abyss and prevent the next generation of women from falling into it. She encourages Gen X women to let go of unrealistic expectations and to find support systems to navigate this difficult period.

Why We Can't Sleep is a reassuring and empowering read for middle-aged women and anyone seeking to understand their experiences. By sharing the stories of Gen X women, Calhoun highlights the unique struggles of this generation and provides a sense of community and hope.

Gen X women are sandwiched between Boomers and Millennials

Ada Calhoun's book *Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis* explores the unique pressures faced by Gen X women, who find themselves sandwiched between Boomers and Millennials as they navigate midlife.

Calhoun, a Gen X woman herself, noticed a pattern among her peers: despite being married with children and having good careers, they felt miserable and overwhelmed. To understand why, she delved into housing costs, HR trends, credit card debt averages, and divorce data. She found that Gen X women faced new and overlooked problems as they entered middle age.

Speaking to women across America, Calhoun discovered that most were exhausted, terrified about money, under-employed, and overwhelmed. Instead of being heard, they were told to lean in, take "me-time," or make a chore chart. Her book opens up the cultural and political contexts of Gen X's predicament and offers solutions for pulling oneself out of the abyss. It is a reassuring and empowering read for middle-aged women and anyone hoping to understand them.

Gen X women are the "Jan Brady generation," caught between Boomers and Millennials. They grew up with high expectations and the belief that they could "have it all." However, they faced unique challenges, such as rising housing costs, healthcare expenses, and student loan and credit card debt. They often juggle work, marriage, and children with little time for themselves.

Gen X women also experienced specific cultural touchstones, such as the Challenger explosion and being latchkey kids. They were told they could be anything, even president, but this expectation was not coupled with adequate support. They were taught that the American Dream was achievable through hard work, but structural barriers and biases prevented many from realising this dream.

Calhoun's book validates the experiences of Gen X women and offers a sense of community and hope. It encourages women to reframe their expectations and let go of the notion of "having it all." It also provides strategies for navigating menopause, divorce, single life, and other midlife challenges.

In conclusion, *Why We Can't Sleep* sheds light on the unique pressures faced by Gen X women, who are sandwiched between Boomers and Millennials. It offers insights, reassurance, and solutions for navigating the complexities of midlife.

Gen X women are exhausted, terrified about money, under-employed, and overwhelmed

Ada Calhoun's book, "Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis", explores the unique pressures faced by Gen X women as they navigate the challenges of midlife. In her book, Calhoun aims to understand why Gen X women, despite often having outward markers of success, still feel a sense of misery and discontent. Through her research and interviews with women across America, she uncovers several key themes that contribute to the exhaustion, financial fears, underemployment, and overwhelming stress experienced by this generation.

One of the primary factors is the pressure to "have it all." Gen X women were raised with high expectations and the belief that they could achieve anything. However, the reality of balancing careers, family responsibilities, and personal aspirations has proven to be much more challenging than anticipated. This generation faces unique circumstances, sandwiched between the Boomers and Millennials, with new problems that are often overlooked. They struggle with rising housing costs, unstable job markets, credit card debt, and divorce, all while caring for children and aging parents.

Calhoun also highlights the lack of support and the isolation that many Gen X women experience. Instead of being heard and understood, they are often met with advice to "lean in" or take "me-time," which only adds to their feelings of overwhelm. Additionally, the structural barriers and societal expectations, such as the mandate to be successful in both their careers and home lives, contribute to the sense of failure and disappointment.

The book offers a reassuring message to Gen X women, validating their struggles and providing solutions to help them navigate the challenges of midlife. By reframing their expectations and understanding the unique cultural and political contexts of their generation, Calhoun empowers women to pull themselves out of the abyss and find a sense of community and hope.

Gen X women are told to lean in, take me-time, or make a chore chart

Ada Calhoun's book, *Why We Can't Sleep*, explores the unique pressures faced by Gen X women as they approach midlife. In her research, Calhoun found that many Gen X women felt miserable and overwhelmed, despite having successful careers and families. She attributes this phenomenon to the generation's position between the Boomers and the Millennials, resulting in new problems that are often overlooked.

Gen X women are told to "lean in", take "me-time", or make a chore chart to get their lives in order. However, these suggestions fail to address the underlying issues faced by this generation. Instead of being heard and supported, Gen X women are often met with advice that perpetuates the idea that they need to do more and be more.

In her book, Calhoun delves into the cultural and political contexts of Gen X's predicament, offering solutions to help them navigate their challenges. She encourages Gen X women to reframe their expectations and find support to pull themselves out of the abyss. By sharing the stories of Gen X women, Calhoun provides a sense of community and validation, reassuring them that they are not alone in their struggles.

Why We Can't Sleep is a generation-defining exploration of the midlife crisis facing Gen X women. By speaking with women across America, Calhoun shines a light on the unique circumstances and pressures that this generation faces as they navigate midlife.

Ada Calhoun offers solutions for how to pull oneself out of the abyss

Ada Calhoun's book, *Why We Can't Sleep*, offers solutions for how to pull oneself out of the abyss and keep the next generation of women from falling into it. The book is described as "reassuring, empowering, and essential reading for all middle-aged women, and anyone who hopes to understand them".

Calhoun's first piece of advice is to get support. She also suggests reframing the way we see our lives and removing unrealistic expectations. She explains that middle-aged women have more perspective and can see what is important and what isn't. She also notes that one day, midlife will end, and with it, the challenges that come with it.

Calhoun also advises that we should wait. She explains that "kids will grow up; relationships will evolve". She also notes that women in their 50s and 60s often feel better and more confident after menopause.

Calhoun's final piece of advice is to let go of expectations. She explains that criticising oneself for not having saved enough money or achieving enough is unproductive. She suggests that even if we did have more money or achieve more, life would not necessarily be any better.

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