March, the month Daylight Savings Time ends, is National Sleep Month. On Sunday, March 13th, when the clock springs ahead, already chronically tired Americans will lose another hour of sleep.

Did you know more than a third of Americans get less than seven hours of sleep a night? The resulting fatigue has been linked to a number of serious medical issues such as Alzheimer’s disease, hypertension and other ailments. It may cost America’s economy as much as $400bn a year, according to one study. Other countries are similarly sleepless. Consumption of alcohol and caffeine are partly to blame, as is exposure to phone and computer screens. 

Some quick numbers on the statistics of sleep from around the globe are below. Let them serve as your wake-up call - no pun intended - to prioritize your Zz’s. Sleep is an important part of health and well-being at every age.

Sleep statistics worldwide

More than 20% of the general adult population in the U.S. and Canada have reported experiencing insomnia (Sleep Research Society, 2012).

-62% of adults around the world say they don’t sleep as well as they’d like (Philips Global Sleep Survey, 2019).

- As many as 67% of adults report sleep disturbances at least once every night (Philips Global Sleep Survey, 2019).

-8 in 10 adults around the world want to improve their sleep but 60% have not sought help from a medical professional (Philips Global Sleep Survey, 2019).

-44% of adults around the world say that the quality of their sleep has gotten worse over the past five years (Philips Global Sleep Survey, 2019)

National sleep statistics

The prevalence of sleep disorders in the United States is so high that the CDC declared insufficient sleep a public health problem. Here are some national statistics on sleep loss in the U.S.:

-70 million Americans have chronic sleep problems (CDC, 2017).

-1 in 3 U.S. adults regularly don’t get enough sleep  (CDC, 2016).

-Insufficient sleep is experienced by about 30% of the general population that’s over the age of 18 (CDC, 2018). 

-48% of Americans report snoring during the night (ASA, 2021).

-88% of American adults reportedly lose sleep due to binge-watching (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2019). 

Sleep statistics by sex

Men and women each have their fair share of sleeping problems. In fact, one sleep survey found that 30% of respondents reported that they would like to file for a “sleep divorce” (in other words, sleep separately from their partner).

Between 9% and 21% of women have obstructive sleep apnea (ASA, 2021).

-Between 24% and 31% of men have obstructive sleep apnea (ASA, 2021). 

-The lifetime risk of getting insomnia may be up to 40% higher for women than for men (Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, 2016). 

-Up to 94% of pregnant women reportedly experience sleep disturbances during pregnancy (Obstetric Medicine, 2015).

-About 46% of women report having sleeping problems almost every night (National Sleep Foundation, 2007).

-The sleep disorder restless leg syndrome is more common among women than among men (MedlinePlus, 2019).

-About 57% of men and 40% of women in America snore (Merck Manual, 2020).  

How much sleep should you get?

Not getting enough sleep can be bad for your physical and mental health and cause some unwelcome symptoms. Not meeting your sleep needs can cause a lack of energy, trouble remembering things, a reduced attention span, slowed thinking, a reduced sex drive, poor decision making, irritability, daytime sleepiness, and other mood changes.

The exact amount of sleep you need will depend on your age, but in general, children need more sleep than adults to support their growth and development. Here’s a helpful guide from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the recommended amount of sleep that someone should get based on their age: