54 Shocking Sleep Statistics and Trends for 2021
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One sleepless night, nothing to worry about, they said.
This is what many Americans and people around the world say right before they are in a car crash or make a fatal mistake at work.
We all know that sleep is necessary for our physical and mental health, but very few know how important it really is.
The truth is that we take sleep for granted.
Sleep deprivation is similar to alcohol intoxication, and it may be helpful to think of it that way.
So, would you go to work intoxicated by alcohol? You certainly would not.
In just 10 minutes, these 54 sleep statistics will make it clear to you that sleeping disorders and deprivation are NO JOKE, and we should all take our sleep more seriously.
Who knows, knowing all this might save your or someone’s life.
01
General Sleep Data and Stats
Sleeping 60 to 90 minutes more per night can make you happier and healthier.
We dream 4-6 times per night but forget 95-99% of our dreams the next morning.
REM Sleep constitutes of 20% of our total sleep time while the remaining 80% are non-REM sleep stages.
Our body temperature drops by 1-2 degrees during the night so it’s perfectly normal to feel a bit chilly.
54.1% of adults prefer to sleep in the fetal position while 37.5% sleep on their back, even though it’s the healthiest position.
6-8% of the participants in one study reported a condition called “sexsomia” which means waking up in the middle of the night to get intimate with your partner.
02
Sleep Deprivation Statistics
In 1942, Americans had 7.9 hours on average hours per night compared to 6.8 hours in 2013, which is a 13% decrease.
40% of people age 40 to 59 reported that they are getting less than recommended amounts of sleep.
Falling asleep takes on average 10-15 minutes. If you pass out within a few minutes, it might mean you are sleep deprived.
Lack of Sleep costs the United States over $411 Billion Annually, reported Fortune Magazine.
35% of adults don’t get enough sleep (7 hours per day) according to the CDC.
20% of teenagers get less than 5 hours of sleep, while average amount is 6.5 hours.
REM Sleep constitutes of 20% of our total sleep time while the remaining 80% are non-REM sleep stages.
Over 100 thousand deaths can be attributed to medical errors due to sleep deprivation.
People with a college degree or higher have the most sleep (72%), while unemployed or those unable to work much lower (at 51 and 60% respectively).
Healthy Sleep duration is more common among married people (67%), and lower in those who were never married (62%) or who were divorced, separated, or widowed (56%).
37% of people between 20 and 39 years-old reported short sleep duration.
The population of Hawaii has the shortest sleep duration (54%) while South Dakota has the highest (72%).
Almost 20% of all car crash accidents and injuries are associated with sleepiness.
03
Sleep Disorders Statistics
50 to 70 million people in the US suffer from one or several sleep disorders.
[14] NCBI
[14] NCBI
4.7% reported falling asleep or nodding off while driving in the preceding month.
37.9% of people reported unintentionally falling asleep during the day or at work in the last 30 days.
Insomnia
30% of adult U.S. population suffer from Insomnia and 10% from chronic Insomnia, making it the most common sleep disorder.
75 to 90% of insomnia sufferers have an increased risk of medical disorders such as hypoxemia, GSD, and pain conditions.
40% of all insomnia patients have a coexisting psychiatric condition.
Sleep Apnea
24-31% of men and 9-21% of women have obstructive sleep apnea, making it more prevalent in men.
An estimated 10 million people in the United States remain undiagnosed.
Over 50% of diagnosed sleep apnea cases are reported in people age of 40 and over.
Narcolepsy
One in 500 people that carry a gene responsible for developing narcolepsy will actually develop the disorder.
Only 20-25% of people will have all four narcolepsy symptoms (daytime sleepiness, sudden loss of muscle function, sleep paralysis, and hallucinations).
[25] National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Over 60% of Narcolepsy patients were misdiagnosed as obstructive sleep apnea or depression.
It is estimated that 75% of people suffering from Narcolepsy remain undiagnosed.
[25] National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
135,000 to 200,000 people in the United States have narcolepsy and affects men and women equally.
[25] National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
04
Sleep Aids Statistics
Over 4% of U.S. adults (age 20 and over) said they took some sort of medications or sleep aids in the last 30 days.
Over 16% of adults using some form of sleep aids have reported a physician's diagnosis of a sleep disorder, which is 5 times higher than in those who did not report such diagnosis.
Sleep medication use was higher among women (5%) compared to men (3.1%).
The frequency of sleep med use is associated with higher mortality rate.
China is the most “sleep medicated” country in the world.Those using sleep pills have a 35% higher chance of developing cancer, according to BMJ.
05
Technology and Sleep
Over 10% of surveyed adults said they use sleep trackers regularly, 12% said they use it occasionally, while 30% said they won’t use it.
15% of the regular sleep app users are less than 30 years old and 9% are over 45 years old.
Spring mattresses are still the most popular (32%) followed by memory foam mattresses (22%) while latex beds are at only 2%.
Smart Mattress market size annual growth is 8.51% and was worth $92 million in 2017.
North America constitutes 54% of Sleep Tracking device market share of the $1,121.5 Million USD of the total market.
8% of the U.S. adults use mobile apps to track sleep regularly and 9% occasionally while 31% declared they won’t use.
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[2] The Scientific Study of Dreams, Domhoff
[3] What Happens to Your Body When You Sleep?, WebMD
[4] Sleep positions and nocturnal body movements based on free-living accelerometer recordings: association with demographics, lifestyle, and insomnia symptoms, Nature and Science of Sleep
[5] The Co-Occurrence of Sexsomnia, Sleep Bruxism and Other Sleep Disorders, MDPI – Journal of Clinical Medicine
[6] In U.S., 40% Get Less Than Recommended Amount of Sleep, Gallup News
[7] Has Adult Sleep Duration Declined Over the Last 50+ Years?, National Center for Biotechnology Information
[8] 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[9] Teenagers Who Don't Get Enough Sleep at Higher Risk for Mental Health Problems, Scientific American
[10] Sleep Loss in Resident Physicians: The Cause of Medical Errors?, National Center for Biotechnology Information
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[12] Sleep Deprivation and Obesity, Harvard | School of Public Health
[13] How much sleep do I need?, CDC
[14] Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation, National Center for Biotechnology Information
[15] Unhealthy Sleep-Related Behaviors — 12 States, 2009, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[16] Sleep Disorder Treatment, Soutern Indiana ENT
[17] Unhealthy Sleep-related Behaviors — 12 States, 2009, Medscape
[18] Insomnia: Definition, Prevalence, Etiology, and Consequences, National Center for Biotechnology Information
[19] Clinical correlates of insomnia in patients with chronic illness, National Center for Biotechnology Information
[20] Epidemiologic study of sleep disturbances and psychiatric disorders. An opportunity for prevention?, National Center for Biotechnology Information
[21] Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Springfield Smile Doctor
[22] The Epidemiology of Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea, National Center for Biotechnology Information
[23] Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder in the population—a review on the epidemiology of sleep apnea, National Center for Biotechnology Information
[24] Narcolepsy, National Organization for Rare Disorders
[25] Narcolepsy Fact Sheet, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
[26] Narcolepsy Sleep Technologists: Course Information, Sleep Edu
[27] Misdiagnosis of narcolepsy, National Center for Biotechnology Information
[28] Prescription Sleep Aid Use Among Adults: United States, 2005–2010, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[30] Top 6 Things to Know About the $28 Billion Sleep Market, Market Research
[31] Use of Sleep Medications and Mortality: The Hordaland Health Study, National Center for Biotechnology Information
[32] The world’s largest-ever online ‘sleep census’ reveals a sleep-deprived planet, Loughborough University
[33] Hypnotics' association with mortality or cancer: a matched cohort study, BMJ Journals
[36] On what type of mattress do you sleep at home?, Statista
[37] Global Smart Mattress Market Research Report 2018, Market Research Store
[38] Smart Sleep Tracking Device Market : Global Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2024, Research Master
