New York-based U.S. News & World Report recently revealed the findings of its 2024 sleep survey, which polled 1,200 American adults on their sleep habits.
For the third year in a row, the cost of living is the primary concern keeping Americans awake at night. In 2023, the next two most popular sleep interrupters were COVID and gun violence in America. In 2024, gun violence has moved up to the second spot, followed by the 2024 presidential election. Nearly one in three Americans (31%) stated that worrying about the election has impacted their sleep.
According to the survey, 3 in 4 American adults (74%) say that stress has impacted their sleep this year, brought on by both internal worries and external events. In the survey, more than half of American adults (66%) report not feeling well-rested, either only once or twice a week (28%), a few times per month (16%) or rarely or never (22%). Just 9% reported waking up feeling well-rested every day.
Interestingly, since the last survey, Americans seem to have experienced an increase in certain sleep preferences, with 35% preferring to sleep in a separate bed from their partner at night (an increase of 2% from 2023) and 44% preferring not to share a comforter (a rise of 3% from 2023).
For the third year in a row, Americans reported their worst sleep habit was going to bed at different times each night. In 2024, the second most widely self-reported bad habit was screen time in bed. According to the survey, Americans are split fifty-fifty regarding screen time, with half limiting it and the other half not.
Unsure how to wind down? A recent article on the Better Sleep Council website shares some mindfulness and relaxation techniques to aid sleep.
To read the full survey results, visit https://www.usnews.com/360-reviews/sleep/2024-sleep-survey.
