Wellness – Getting Enough Sleep Stats and Facts

FACTS

  1. Insufficient Sleep Prevalence: Many adults fail to get the recommended 7–9 hours of sleep per night, leading to fatigue, reduced cognitive function, and increased risks of chronic conditions like obesity or heart disease.
  2. Workplace Sleep Disruption: Shift work, long hours, or high-stress jobs disrupt sleep patterns, contributing to insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and impaired job performance.
  3. Screen Time Impact: Excessive use of screens (e.g., phones, computers) before bed, particularly blue light exposure, delays melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep.
  4. Lack of Sleep Hygiene: Poor sleep habits, such as irregular schedules, caffeine/alcohol consumption, or uncomfortable sleep environments, reduce sleep quality and duration.
  5. Mental Health Connection: Inadequate sleep exacerbates anxiety, depression, and stress, while poor mental health can further disrupt sleep, creating a vicious cycle.
  6. Health Risks of Sleep Deprivation: Chronic sleep loss is linked to higher risks of diabetes, hypertension, and weakened immune function, impacting overall wellness.

STATS

  • The CDC’s 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System reported that 35% of U.S. adults slept less than 7 hours per night, with 12% experiencing frequent sleep difficulties.
  • Statistics Canada’s 2021 Canadian Community Health Survey found that 43% of Canadians aged 18–64 reported trouble falling or staying asleep, with 20% getting less than 6 hours nightly.
  • A 2023 National Sleep Foundation survey indicated that 65% of U.S. workers reported poor sleep quality due to work-related stress or irregular schedules.
  • The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) noted in 2023 that workplaces with sleep education programs reduced employee fatigue-related incidents by up to 15%.
  • A 2022 Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine study estimated that sleep deprivation cost U.S. employers $411 billion annually due to productivity losses and absenteeism.
  • A 2020 Canadian Medical Association Journal study found that 30% of Canadian adults with insomnia reported worsened mental health, linked to workplace stress and poor sleep hygiene.