Who's Missing Out on Sleep?

By Andy Bergmann
Former Director, Design & Data

March 10, 2023

It’s recommended that adults get at least 7 hours of sleep per day to stay healthy. Many Americans don’t reach that, and their sleep habits may vary depending on where they live. Here’s a look at which U.S. counties are the most sleep-deprived, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey. Darker areas represent a higher percentage of adults who get less than 7 hours of sleep per day. Hover to see county-specific data.

There are some clear differences on who is losing out on sleep when broken down by age and ethnicity. Adults between the ages of 25 and 44 are the most likely to sleep less, with 36.4 percent reporting fewer than 7 hours per day. Nearly half of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders also report not getting the recommended 7 hours.

Breakdown by Age

Percentage of adults who get less than 7 hours of sleep per day.

18 to 24 years

29.7%

25 to 44 years

36.4%

45 to 64 years

34.5%

65 or older

26.1%

Breakdown by Ethnicity

Percentage of adults who get less than 7 hours of sleep per day.

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

47.0%

Black or African American

43.5%

American Indian or Alaskan Native

38.2%

Hispanic or Latino

32.3%

White

30.7%

Asian

30.5%

Sources: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), American Community Survey (ACS) 2014-2018, and 2018 Census county population estimates. Map: Age-adjusted prevalence of adults who reported short sleep duration varied by county 2018. Data by age and ethnicity 2020.

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To see all of CR's sleep coverage, visit our Guide to Better Sleep.

Andy Bergmann

Andy was the director of design and data at CR. His data-driven design work has been featured on CNN, FastCo, Washington Post, NPR, NBA, and Sports Illustrated. He was formerly an executive creative director at CNN and is the author of "The Starry Giraffe" (Simon & Schuster). Follow him on X: @dubly