Beauty rest, catching some Z’s, 40 winks, or shut-eye—whatever you call it, we all need sleep. But where are Americans sleeping like logs, and where are they tossing and turning for a few restless hours? In an age where sleep disturbances run rampant, Aeris surveyed 3,400+ Americans across 47 states to determine which states’ residents get the best and worst night’s sleep.
We asked survey respondents how many hours of sleep they get per night on average and to rate the quality of that sleep. Additionally, we asked questions about air quality while they’re sleeping, preferred sleeping positions, sleepwalking/talking, and other odd sleeping habits.
Are residents in your state getting the sleep they need? Discover our survey’s full findings below.
Americans Rate Their Quality of Sleep
First, we asked an equal number of respondents in each state to rate the quality of sleep they get each night, on average, on a scale of 1-5, where 1 equals very poor sleep quality and 5 equals excellent sleep quality. Residents in Virginia, Iowa, and New Jersey are sleeping soundly with sleep quality ratings of 3.61, 3.52, and 3.51, respectively. In fact, Virginians have a sleep rating that is 9.45% above the national average.
Meanwhile, residents in Oklahoma, Maine, and Delaware are getting the poorest quality slumber according to their sleep ratings. Oklahomans have a rating that is 7.86% below the national average.
What’s affecting these residents from getting the shut-eye they need and deserve? A slew of factors could be the culprit––sleep disorders, air quality, and taking naps during the day, among others, but perhaps the most prevalent reason is the restlessness associated with the pandemic and current events. According to Healthline, one doctor has coined the term “coronasomnia” to represent chronic stress, brought on by COVID, which can have a negative impact on our sleep cycles.
Which States’ Residents Get the Most Sleep Each Night?
On the whole, the average American is not getting the typical eight hours of sleep per night. When asking survey respondents how many hours of sleep they get each night, the national average amounted to barely over seven hours (7.05 hours per night to be exact).
At 7.82 hours per night, residents in Utah get the most sleep on average––11% more than the national average number of hours at 7.05. Residents in Wisconsin and Nevada are runners-up at 7.57 and 7.46 hours per night, respectively. Alternatively, residents in Hawaii get the least sleep (6.55 hours per night)––7% less than the national average.
How Long Does it Take Americans to Fall Asleep?
Sometimes the most tedious portion of the night is waiting to fall asleep. Racing thoughts and chronic stress can often prevent us from falling asleep as quickly as we’d want.
Luckily, the majority of Americans are falling asleep within reasonable time frames. The largest percentage of Americans (42%) say it takes them between 15-30 minutes to fall asleep, followed by 30% who say it takes them less than 15 minutes. Cheers to those that can zonk out once their head hits the pillow! Only 9% of Americans take more than an hour to fall asleep.
Analyzing America’s Sleep Habits
In addition to the length and quality of sleep, we asked Americans to weigh in on other sleep-related topics like sleep aids, sleep disorders, sleep positions, and more. Surprisingly, over half of Americans (54%) report waking up at least two or more times during the night.
Zooming in on specific demographics, over half of female respondents take melatonin or another supplement to help them get to sleep faster compared to only 37% of male respondents. On the snoring front, 24% of male respondents say they have moderate to severe snoring, compared to just 12% of female respondents. What’s more, 37% of females say they sleep worse with someone in the bed with them.
When we zoom in on the routines of specific generations, millennials, in particular, have some interesting sleeping habits. 35% of millennials are sleeping one or more hours per night since the pandemic began––perhaps we can chalk this up to sleeping in, due to remote work and zero commute time. But with this new standard of snoozing, sleep is more precious to millennials than it once was. 42% of millennials admit to canceling plans because it interfered with their sleep schedules.
So what about napping? 30% of overall respondents nap once or twice per week, while 18% of millennials nap daily. Naps are often necessary, but if taken for too long, they can disrupt the quality of our sleep at night. Almost half of both Gen Zers and millennials say if they take a nap during the day, it affects their ability to get to sleep at night.
See a full breakdown of the quirks Americans experience as they sleep below.
Q: Which of the following do you do while sleeping? (check all that apply)
- Frequently waking up (22%)
- Snoring (20%)
- Night sweats (12%)
- Teeth grinding (11%)
- Nightmares (9%)
- Sleep talking (9%)
- Cramps or aching (6%)
- Sleepwalking (2%)
- Other (1%)
Q: Which of the following do you need to fall asleep? (check all that apply)
- A running fan (26%)
- Some form of white noise (15%)
- TV in the background (12%)
- Melatonin or another sleep supplement (11%)
- Calm, Headspace, or another app (8%)
- ASMR videos (5%)
- Other (6%)
- None of the above (19%)
Final Thoughts
That wraps up our sleep study. Per our findings, over a quarter of millennials (27%) run an air purifier while sleeping, and 25% of millennials believe the quality and length of their sleep have improved since purchasing one. Using an air purifier at night helps to keep your bedroom free of pollutants, which will improve your sleep, boost your mood, and strengthen your immune system over time.
Interested in improving your indoor air quality while you sleep? Check out our full lineup of Aeris air purifiers.
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