Sleep deprivation has become a modern problem of productive society that wants to get more done. While people around the world rid themselves of their sleep to study, work or party more, a lot of people struggle with sleep disorders that also result in sleep deprivation. That said, we decided to list sleep deprivation and its implications in numbers, to help you understand the severity of this modern problem.
Keep in mind that the data we compiled appears in different reports, scientific reports, studies, and research. With that in mind, the data comes from different sources and may slightly differ. Take the information you read with a bit of reserve, as the general information doesn’t necessarily have to apply specifically to you.
Overall Sleep Deprivation
If you’re reading this while unable to sleep, believe us, you’re not alone. More than 1/3 of Americans overall aren’t getting a sufficient amount of sleep, meaning that they get less than the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep. [1]
The modern and busy lifestyles result in over 70% of adults in the USA reporting that they sleep insufficiently at least once in a month. Additionally, 11% of the same group states that getting enough sleep seems impossible every night. According to the study, between 50 and 70 million Americans have sleep problems that result in sleep-deprivation, regardless of age, gender, and socio-economic status.[2]
The odds of not being able to fall asleep on a weekly basis are 68%. [3]
Sleep Deprivation in Different Genders
On average, reports say that 35.5% of men sleep less than the necessary 7 hours.[4]
On the other hand, 34.8% of women report that they’re not getting the necessary 7 hours of sleep. [4]
Sleep Deprivation and Age
Sleep deprivation in adults differs based on age. The data focuses on adults who get less than 7 hours of sleep.
- 2% of adults aged 18-24 report not getting enough sleep.
- 2% of people between 25 and 34 years old don’t get an adequate amount of sleep.
- 3% of adults aged 35-44 sleep less than 7 hours per night.
- 0% of adults aged 45 to 54 can’t sleep enough.
- 6% of adults aged 55 to 64 struggle at sleeping for longer than 7 hours.
- 3% of adults who don’t get enough sleep are older than 65. [4]
Less Than Half Of U.S. Children Get Enough Sleep
A 2019 study reports that about 48% of children 6-17 years old get enough of sleep. [5]
Stress Makes Teens Feel Sleep-Deprived And Depressed
One in three teens reports being unable to sleep because of stress. [6]
Sleep Deprivation in Sleep Disorders
Over 50 million Americans report they have a sleep disorder that can keep them up at night. There are over 70 different sleep disorders that can keep you awake at night.
Out of those 70 sleep disorders, insomnia seems to be the most prevalent one, affecting 1 in 4 Americans. [7]
The prognosis is good because of 75% of those who have insomnia recover, according to a 2018 research. Still, it can affect millions of people yearly on a global level. [7]
Short-term insomnia affects about 30% of adults, while 10% of people have chronic, long-lasting insomnia. [8]
40% of adults may fall asleep during the day unintentionally, while 4.7% report drowsy driving which leads them to nod off.[8] Every year, there are 40,000 injuries caused by daytime sleepiness and 1,550 accidents that ended fatally. [7]
Sleep deprivation-caused incidents lead to 100,000 deaths a year in American hospitals because medical workers didn’t get enough sleep.
Sleep-Deprivation Leads to Health Risks
Obese people (with body mass index BMI 30 or higher) are 33% likely to sleep less than 7 hours.
27.2% of sleep-deprived people don’t engage in regular physical activity.
22.9% of people who sleep less than 7 hours a night make smokers.
Underage alcohol abusers and heavy alcoholics make 19.4% of people who don’t sleep enough.
4.8% of people who sleep less than 7 hours a night are more likely to have a heart attack, while 4.7% are prone to coronary heart disease.
3.6% of sleep-deprived American citizens are prone to stroke.
The association between Americans who are sleep deprived and arthritis makes 28.8% [4]
People who have sleep apnea that can also lead to sleep deprivation are 45% more likely to develop high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. [9]
Sleep Deprivation And Economics
According to a report, sleep deprivation leaves a financial mark of over $410 billion a year.
If sleep-deprived people pulled extra two hours of sleep they’d lead to an added financial impact of approximately $226 billion on the American economy. [10]
Sleep Deprivation As A Growing Epidemic for College Students
According to a study, up to 60% of all college students suffer from poor quality sleep or sleep deprivation. [11]
7.2% of that amount meets the criteria for serious insomnia disorder, according to a study.
About 20% of all college students tend to stay awake whole night to pick up the pace with their studies.[12]
- [1] https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0215-enough-sleep.html
- [2] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5842a2.htm
- [3] https://www.consumerreports.org/sleep/why-americans-cant-sleep/
- [4] https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html
- [5] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191025075604.htm
- [6] https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2013/sleep
- [7] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180605154114.htm
- [8] https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/sleep-statistics/
- [9] https://www.sleepassociation.org/sleep-apnea/
- [10] https://www.rand.org/randeurope/research/projects/the-value-of-the-sleep-economy.html
- [11] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5536318/
- [12] https://stthomas.edu/collegesleep/newsandinterviews/whysleepmatters/
