Are you getting enough sleep? A lot of us aren’t, according to a new Gallup poll. It finds that only 42% of Americans say they get as much sleep as they need, while 57% say they’d feel better if they got more sleep. That’s a first in Gallup’s research since 2001, and nearly the opposite of the 2013 poll that found 56% of Americans got the sleep they needed and 43% didn’t.
So how much sleep are Americans actually getting?
- The poll shows only 26% are getting eight or more hours, the amount recommended by sleep experts for our health and well-being.
- Just over half (53%) sleep six to seven hours, while 20% report getting five hours or less.
- To compare, back in 1942, 59% of Americans were sleeping eight or more hours, while 33% slept six to seven.
- Women are less likely to get enough sleep than men, as 48% of men say they get all the sleep they need, compared to only 36% of women.
- It’s even worse for younger women, only 27% of those under the age of 50 report getting adequate sleep.
- Older men are most likely to get enough sleep, with 51% saying they get all they need, while 46% of younger men say the same.
- The poll doesn’t get into WHY Americans aren’t sleeping enough, but it does point to research from the American Psychological Association that shows a strong connection between stress and sleep quality. It finds that people who sleep less are more stressed and those who are more stressed sleep less. According to the poll, 63% of those who want more sleep say they experience stress frequently, compared to 31% of those who get enough sleep.
Source: Gallup