70+ Sleep Statistics and Trends You Shouldn't Hit Snooze on for 2021

*This article is for general information only and is not intended to be medical advice. Consult your physician before taking any supplements, beginning any diet or fitness plan, or adopting any treatment for a health problem.
 
We all want to have that satisfying good night’s sleep. But is all sleep created equal?
 
According to the Handbook of Clinical Neurology, we humans spend a third of our lives sleeping. Although that sounds like a lot of bed time, the truth is that insufficient sleep is quite an issue in America. As many as 164 million Americans struggle to get some shut-eye on a weekly basis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention even dubbed it a “public health problem” — take a moment to sleep on that.
 
There are numerous studies that detail why we shouldn’t miss out on getting proper Zzs. To show the state of sleep in America, we collected over 70 sleep statistics*. From sleep deprivation to bedtime habits to dreams, these statistics might just keep you up at night.

General Statistics

The numbers don’t lie. For one reason or another — be it stress, an endless Netflix binge, or even a sleep disorder — sufficient sleep seems to elude many Americans.
 
 Lack of Sleep 
 

1. 68% of Americans struggle to sleep at least once a week. Consumer Reports
2. 36.5% of U.S. workers receive less than the recommended seven hours of sleep. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
3. 41% of people use over-the-counter sleep aids several times a week. Consumer Reports
4. Americans who reported having very good or excellent health had 23 more minutes of sleep than those who rated their health as good, fair, or poor. National Sleep Foundation
5. Only 1 in 10 Americans consider sleep to be their top priority over fitness, work, hobbies, and social life. Sleep Foundation

6. Women are more likely to struggle once per week with sleeping (26%) than men (16%). Better Sleep
7. Healthy sleep duration is more common among non-Hispanic whites (67%), Hispanics (66%), and Asians (63%), and is less common among non-Hispanic blacks (54%) and multiracial non-Hispanics (54%). CDC
    
    

Sleep Disorders

8. 50 to 70 million US adults have a sleep disorder. American Sleep Association
9. More than 70 types of sleep disorders exist. The most common are insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, movement syndromes, and narcolepsy.
   Harvard Health
10. Up to 90% of insomnia sufferers have a higher risk of pain conditions, glycogen storage disease, and hypoxemia. National Center for Biotechnology Information
     

The Science of Sleep

11. Humans are the only mammals that delay sleep. National Center for Biotechnology Information
12. The average person takes 7 minutes to fall asleep. Psych Central
13. An extra 60 to 90 minutes of sleep per night can make you happier and healthier. American Psychological Association
14. People who get 5 to 6 hours of sleep are 4.2 times more likely to get sick over people who sleep 7 hours or more. Science Magazine
15. People with consistent sleep schedules are 1.5 times more likely to feel well-rested during the day. Sleep Foundation
     

Sleep Habits

16. 48% of Americans report that they snore. American Sleep Association
17. New Zealand has the highest sleep average at 7 hours and 30 minutes, while Japan has the lowest at 5 hours and 59 minutes. The sleep average in the U.S. is 7 hours and 6 minutes. Science Advances
18. People who slept less than 7 hours were more likely to report being above average weight (33%), physically inactive (27%), current smokers (23%), and excessive alcohol drinkers (19%). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
19. The fetal position is the most popular sleeping position with 41% of adults reporting, compared to sleeping on one’s side (28%), lying on your back (8%), and lying on the stomach (7%). Sleep.org
     

20. More than 50% of the U.S. population takes naps during the week. Sleep Health Index
21. 11:21 PM is the average bedtime for Americans. Fitbit

Dream Statistics

We know that dreams can be blissful, weird, and even alarming. Contrary to what you may think, dreaming is a good indicator of your sleep quality and your state of mind.
 

22. People over 10 years old generally dream 4 to 6 times and for about two hours each night. National Sleep Foundation, NINDS
23. 50% of your dreams are forgotten in the first five minutes of waking up. 95% is lost by the time you roll out of bed. Better Sleep Council
24. 65% of our dreams are filled with sadness and anger, while 20% contain happiness and excitement. Neuroscience
25. A study found that those who had REM “dream sleep” performed 32% better at puzzle solving than those who had non-REM sleep. Cognitive Brain Research
     

26. Men have dreams featuring other men 70% of the time, while women dream about women and men equally. Better Sleep Council
27. A Brazilian study found that 77% of participants had a lucid dream at least once. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
28. Nightmares are experienced by 80% of people living with PTSD. Bustle

Sleep Deprivation Statistics

Many Americans run on a sleep deficit. Studies show that missing out on proper sleep can bring about financial, health, and psychological consequences.

29. 40% of Americans are sleep deprived. Sleepless in America
30. The financial impact of sleep deprivation in the U.S. is $411 billion annually — the same amount as cybercrime. Rand
31. If people who sleep under 6 hours slept for an additional hour or two, they would add up to $226.4 billion back to the U.S. economy. Rand
32. People who sleep less than 7 hours each night are 12% more likely to die prematurely University of Warwick
33. Sleep deprivation can cause you to lose 11 days of productivity. Washington Post
     

34. Each child in a household increases the mother’s risk of insufficient sleep by 46%. Breaking News English
35. 100,000 deaths occur each year in U.S. hospitals due to medical errors, many of which are caused by sleep deprivation. American Sleep Association
36. Drowsy driving is responsible for 1,550 fatalities and 40,000 non-fatal injuries annually. American Sleep Association
37. Chronic sleep problems affect 50% to 80% of patients with a psychiatric condition, compared with 10% to 18% of adults in the general population Harvard Health

Sleep Apnea Statistics

Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that affects many Americans and interrupts breathing during sleep.
 

38. 56% of people ages 65 and older have a higher risk of obstructive sleep apnea. Michigan Health Lab
39. Sleep apnea occurs in about 3% of average weight individuals and 20% of above average weight people. John Hopkins Medicine
     

40. People with sleep apnea are 45% more likely to develop high blood pressure. Sleep Association
41. It is estimated that 1% to 4% of children suffer from sleep apnea, many of them between 2 and 8 years old. American Sleep Apnea Association
42. Sleep apnea is less prevalent in women — only 9% to 21% of women have the disorder compared to 24% to 31% of men. American Sleep Association

Sleep Paralysis Statistics

Sleep paralysis occurs when your mind wakes up but your body stays asleep. Being physically paralyzed and feeling an “evil” presence often occur during this phenomenon.
 

43. Sleep paralysis tends to appear in the teen years and occurs most often in ages 20–40. Sleep Education
44. 8% of the general population reported having isolated sleep paralysis once in their lifetime. PubMed
45. Sleep paralysis is prevalent among 28% of students, who are often sleep deprived and stressed Sleep Medicine Reviews
46. 7% of student-athletes encounter sleep paralysis at least once per week American Academy of Sleep
47. 32% of psychiatric patients have reported having at least one episode of sleep paralysis. Futurity
48. Up to 90% of sleep paralysis episodes involve fear. Nature and Science of Sleep

College Student Sleep Statistics

Late nights are the norm for college students. However, getting enough sleep is vital to academic success and personal well-being. Yet college students aren’t getting enough of it.
 

49. 20% of students pull an “all-nighter” at least once a month. Center for College Sleep
50. 5.9% of U.S. college students have trouble sleeping all days of the week. Statista
51. 73% of students “crash” on the weekends and sleep as long as 9 hours. Health Research Funding
52. A Brown University study found that insomnia affected 30% of female students and 18% of male students. Brown University
53. 56.8% of students “feel rested” only three nights per week. Center for College Sleep
     

54. Freshmen are 14% more likely to drop a class for every night of missed sleep. Sleep Health Journal
55. 1 in 4 students at the University of Georgia says sleep loss hurts their academic performance. University Health Center
56. 60% of young adults ages 18 to 29 take sleep into account when planning their day. Statista

Teenage Sleep Deprivation Statistics

Sleep deprivation is as big of an epidemic among teens as it is with adults. While mobile phones are largely to blame, many teens lose out on sleep due to schoolwork.
 

57. A report found that one-third of teens say that stress caused them to lie awake. American Psychological Association
58. High school students lose an average of 8.5 hours of sleep per week due to school. GENYOUth
59. Teenagers who sleep an additional 34 minutes can score 4.5% higher on exams. Science Advances
60. For each hour of sleep lost at night, teenagers have a 38% chance of feeling sad, hopeless, or suicidal. Scientific American
61. Putting down smartphones before bed can help teens sleep for 21 more minutes per night. Vic Health

Sleep and Technology

With many Americans in sleep debt, new technology like tracking apps, sleep monitors, and intelligent bedroom lighting has been developed to improve our sleep.
 

62. Over 10% of surveyed adults said they use sleep trackers on a regular basis. Statistia
63. 15% of young Americans (ages 18–29) use sleep tracking apps regularly, the highest among all age groups. Statista
64. Women are 50% more likely to use sleep trackers than men. Statistia
65. The sleep technology market is expected to hit $79.8 billion by 2020. Persistence Market Research
66. Studies show that exposure to blue light from digital screens can reduce sleep by 16 minutes and cause an average of 7.6 sleep disruptions at night. Science Daily
     

Mattress Industry Statistics

Americans are increasingly viewing their mattress quality as the key to good sleep. The industry continues to grow as more people buy their beds online.
 

67. The global mattress market is projected to grow to $43 billion by 2024. Zion Market Research
68. Online sales of mattresses skyrocketed by 60.6% in 2017. Digital Commerce 360
69. 49% of Americans sleep on either an innerspring or pillow top mattress, making these the most popular types of mattresses. Better Sleep Council
70. A study found that a new mattress reduced its participants’ back pain by 48% and improved sleep quality by 55%. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine
     

71. Older Americans are more likely to spend on a mattress, with baby boomers willing to spend an average of $1,036 compared to just $726 for millennials. Statista
72. Queen beds are the most popular bed size, with 47% of Americans sleeping on one at home. Statista

These sleep statistics show that Americans take bedtime for granted. Sleep deprivation and sleep disorders are not to be taken lightly, as they can negatively impact your day-to-day functioning. It’s important to remedy habits, get any necessary treatment, and create a more sleep-friendly environment. Your health, productivity, and quality of life will thank you for it.

Let us help you get your most rested sleep with the award-winning Casper mattresses.

 *Visit the link following each sleep statistic for its source. Casper has not independently verified the sleep statistics or sources