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On average, we spend about 26 years of our lives asleep, so it’s crucial to make sure we get the best night’s sleep possible. We all know there are loads of recommendations for sleeping better, but how many of us really follow them?
In 2023, we launched a national survey to answer one all-important question: how well do Americans really sleep? We received thousands of responses from across all 50 states, leading to some surprising findings.
A lot can change in a year, though, and we thought we’d update our report to see where America’s sleep habits are headed. If you’ve ever wondered how your sleep hygiene compares to the rest of the country, read on for all the stats and facts!
The average American doesn’t get enough sleep
The Sleep Foundation recommends getting at least seven hours of sleep every night, but our data shows that Americans of all demographics are struggling to reach that number. The average sleep time across all respondents was 6.37 hours per night, with men tending to sleep slightly longer than women.
People over 65 slept the longest, averaging 6.63 hours overall, with sleepers aged 45-54 mostly getting just 6.08 hours per night. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Americans tend to sleep for longer on weekends, with the average time spent resting raising to 6.72 hours on Saturdays and Sundays.
Curious about how your state sleeps? You can read our rankings of the 15 worst states for a good night’s sleep here.
When do Americans get to bed?
The most common bedtime among American adults is 10pm, with 24% of respondents heading off to sleep at that time on weeknights. 11pm is the most popular time on Saturdays on Sundays, but nearly a quarter of people said they don’t have a regular bedtime on weekends. 1 in 5 also don’t have a set time for sleep on weekdays.
Meanwhile, 16% of Americans say they head to bed at 9pm during the work week, so it’s not all late nights across the board!
What keeps you up at night?
On average, Americans wake up 2.47 times a night, with women having their sleep interrupted more often than men. 1 in 3 people who reported interrupted sleep were woken twice per night, with the most common reason being having to use the toilet. Other common factors included thirst, hot rooms, nightmares, and anxiety about the next day’s to-do list.
If you find yourself repeatedly waking up at the same time, you can read how to avoid waking up during the witching hour here.
Only a quarter of Americans wake up feeling rested
When we asked how you feel when you wake up, only 27% reported feeling well-rested every morning. More than 1 in 5 people said they never felt rested when getting out of bed, with 28% of women reporting morning tiredness compared to 15% of men.
The most common answer, though, suggests that the majority of Americans lie somewhere in-between - 40% said that they woke up feeling rested a couple of times per week.
What do you do before sleeping?
There are plenty of ways to unwind before bed, but watching TV has proven to be the most popular bedtime routine activity by a wide margin. 50% of men and 47% of women claimed to watch TV shows before sleep; more than double the number that reported anything else!
However, women were more likely to scroll social media or shower before sleeping, while a higher percentage of men reported listening to music or podcasts.
36% of us check social media before bed
It’s recommended that we cut out screen time for at least an hour before sleeping, but of everyone who reported using devices ahead of their bedtime, more than a third said they used them for social media. Other common answers included playing games, replying to e-mails and messages, and watching videos.
While some stats have remained the same after a year, it’s always interesting to see how the facts compare! For example, more Americans are sleeping between 10pm and 11pm, fewer are watching TV before bed (although it’s still the most popular activity), and thirst is no longer the #1 factor in waking up in the night.
It’s never too late to fix your sleep if you’ve been convinced to change your habits! We have tons of tips and guides on offer to help you get the most out of your night. Why not check out our collection of bedding products, too? From mattresses to pillows, and even mattress toppers and bedding protectors, you’re bound to find just the thing to help you drift off to a better night’s sleep.
Methodology
1,500 US consumers aged 18+ from 3Gem survey provider.
