Differences between male and female university students in sleepiness, weekday sleep loss, and weekend sleep duration

•Female students reported higher sleepiness (lower wakeability) than male students.•Female students reported a longer sleep duration on free days than male students.•Weekday sleep loss was found to be larger in female than male students.•These differences might reflect the difference in intrinsic desire for sleep.•The negative effects of sleep reduction might be more detrimental for female students.