Sleep Statistics 2026
This page collects 52 figures on how people sleep: how many hours adults and children get, how common short sleep and sleep problems are, how night noise disturbs sleep, how many people use sleep medication, melatonin and sleep products, how many track their sleep with wearables, and what poor sleep costs in health, safety and money. Most figures describe the United States, with European noise data from the European Environment Agency and WHO, and global estimates for sleep apnea and economic losses. Sources include CDC, the National Center for Health Statistics, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the National Sleep Foundation, Gallup, Pew Research Center, NHTSA, RAND and peer-reviewed journals. Figures span 2016 to 2026; older data are kept only where no newer national estimate exists and are labeled with their year.
By the HearSmart research desk · Updated November 7, 2026 · 52 numbers drawn from 25 publishers and reports
Short answer
About one in three U.S. adults sleeps less than the recommended 7 hours: CDC puts short sleep at 33.2% of adults in 2020, and 57% of Americans told Gallup they would feel better with more sleep. Sleep aids and trackers are common, with 8.4% of adults taking sleep medication most days (NCHS, 2020) and 48% using a sleep tracking device (AASM, 2025), while noise is a major disruptor: 36% of Americans say outside noise often disrupts their sleep and the EEA estimates 4.6 million Europeans suffer severe sleep disturbance from transport noise.
Headline numbers
- 33.2%33.2% of U.S. adults reported short sleep duration, meaning less than 7 hours in a 24-hour period, in CDC's 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- 57%57% of U.S. adults said they would feel better if they got more sleep in Gallup's December 2023 poll, while 42% said they get as much sleep as they need.Gallup
- 17.8%17.8% of U.S. adults had trouble staying asleep on most days or every day in the past 30 days in the 2020 National Health Interview Survey.National Center for Health Statistics
- 1 in 4About 1 in 4 U.S. high school students got at least 8 hours of sleep on an average school night in 2025, according to CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- 4.6 millionAbout 4.6 million Europeans suffer severe sleep disturbance from transport noise, and 16.9 million experience long-term annoyance, according to the European Environment Agency's 2025 noise report.European Environment Agency
- 36%36% of U.S. adults always or often experience disrupted sleep because of outside noise, about the same share as indoor lights (35%) and outdoor lights (33%), according to an AASM survey.American Academy of Sleep Medicine
- 8.4%8.4% of U.S. adults took sleep medication every day or most days in the past 30 days to help them fall or stay asleep in 2020.National Center for Health Statistics
- 48%48% of U.S. adults have used a sleep tracking device such as a smartwatch or app, up from 35% in 2023, according to AASM's 2025 survey of 2,007 adults.American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Reading the numbers
Short sleep is the norm for a large minority of American adults. CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System found 33.2% of adults slept less than 7 hours in 2020, with state rates from 30% in Vermont to 46% in Hawaii in 2022 and higher rates among adults aged 45 to 64 and lower-income households. The National Sleep Foundation's 2025 poll found 60% of adults do not regularly get its recommended amount, and Gallup's trend shows the share sleeping five hours or less rising from 3% in 1942 to 20% in 2023.
Trouble sleeping is just as common as short sleep. NCHS found 14.5% of adults had trouble falling asleep and 17.8% had trouble staying asleep on most days in 2020, with women more affected than men. NSF's sleep satisfaction scores gave half of adults an F, and 12% of Americans told AASM they have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia. Young people fare worse: only about 1 in 4 U.S. high school students got 8 or more hours on school nights in 2025, and parents told NSF that 44% of children do not consistently get the sleep recommended for their age.
Noise is one of the clearest outside threats to sleep. WHO recommends less than 30 dB(A) in bedrooms at night and less than 40 dB Lnight outside them, yet the European Environment Agency counts about 4.6 million Europeans with severe sleep disturbance from transport noise and 92 million exposed to road traffic noise above the EU threshold. In the U.S., 36% of adults told AASM that outside noise always or often disrupts their sleep, and many respond with fans (47%), noise machines or apps (18%) and earplugs (16%).
Sleep aids and sleep tech have grown fast. NCHS found 8.4% of adults took sleep medication most days in 2020, melatonin use rose from 0.4% to 2.1% of adults between 1999 and 2018, and pediatric melatonin ingestions reported to poison centers rose 530% in a decade. Nearly half of adults (48%) used a sleep tracker in 2025, up from 35% in 2023, though 76% say they have lost sleep worrying about sleep. The costs of poor sleep are large: RAND estimates up to $411 billion a year in U.S. economic losses, and NHTSA counted 644 deaths in drowsy-driving crashes in 2024.
How much sleep adults get
- 1.
33.2% of U.S. adults reported short sleep duration, meaning less than 7 hours in a 24-hour period, in CDC's 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Prevalence and Geographic Patterns of Self-Reported Short Sleep Duration Among US Adults, 2020 (Jun 2023)
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Nationally, 33.2% of adults reported short sleep duration.
- 2.
The share of U.S. adults not getting enough sleep ranged from 30% in Vermont to 46% in Hawaii in 2022, according to CDC.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FastStats: Sleep in Adults (May 2024)
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In 2022, it ranged from 30% of adults in Vermont to 46% adults in Hawaii.
- 3.
39% of U.S. adults aged 45 to 64 got insufficient sleep in 2022, the highest rate of any age group CDC reports.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FastStats: Sleep in Adults (May 2024)
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Adults 45 to 64 (39%).
- 4.
49% of Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander adults in the U.S. got insufficient sleep in 2022, the highest rate among racial and ethnic groups in CDC's data.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FastStats: Sleep in Adults (May 2024)
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Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander adults (49%).
- 5.
Short sleep rose as income fell among U.S. adults in 2020, from 29.3% in households earning $75,000 or more to 38.1% in households earning under $15,000.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Prevalence and Geographic Patterns of Self-Reported Short Sleep Duration Among US Adults, 2020 (Jun 2023)
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The prevalence of short sleep duration increased with decreasing annual household income, from 29.3% (≥$75,000) to 38.1% (<$15,000), and decreasing urbanicity, from 32.0% (large central metropolitan counties) to 35.0% (noncore counties).
- 6.
Americans aged 15 and older spent an average of 9.03 hours a day sleeping in 2025, a time-use measure that includes naps and time awake in bed.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey: Latest Numbers (Jun 2026)
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Sleeping: 9.03 in 2025
- 7.
20% of U.S. adults said they get five hours of sleep or less a night in Gallup's December 2023 poll, up from 14% in 1990 and 3% in 1942.
Gallup, Americans Sleeping Less, More Stressed (Apr 2024)
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Today, a quarter are still getting eight-plus hours, but the percentage getting five or less has risen to 20%.
- 8.
60% of U.S. adults do not regularly get the amount of sleep the National Sleep Foundation recommends, according to its 2025 Sleep in America Poll.
National Sleep Foundation, 2025 Sleep in America Poll: Summary of Findings (Mar 2025)
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Notable data points include the following: (1) Sixty percent of adults are not regularly getting the NSF-recommended amount of sleep per night, (2) More than 2/3 of adults have some difficulty falling asleep (68%), and (3) Seven in ten adults have some difficulty staying asleep (70%).
Chart
U.S. adults sleeping five hours or less a night
Self-reported nightly sleep, Gallup national adult polls; latest results from December 2023.
- 19423%
- 199014%
- 202320%
Source: Gallup, Americans Sleeping Less, More Stressed
Sleep problems and sleep satisfaction
- 9.
57% of U.S. adults said they would feel better if they got more sleep in Gallup's December 2023 poll, while 42% said they get as much sleep as they need.
Gallup, Americans Sleeping Less, More Stressed (Apr 2024)
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adults, 57%, say they would feel better if they got more sleep, while 42% say they get as much sleep as they need.
- 10.
36% of U.S. women and 48% of U.S. men said they get the sleep they need in Gallup's 2023 poll.
Gallup, Americans Sleeping Less, More Stressed (Apr 2024)
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The latest poll finds 36% of women versus 48% of men saying they get the sleep they need.
- 11.
17.8% of U.S. adults had trouble staying asleep on most days or every day in the past 30 days in the 2020 National Health Interview Survey.
National Center for Health Statistics, Sleep Difficulties in Adults: United States, 2020 (NCHS Data Brief No. 436) (Jun 2022)
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Overall, 14.5% of adults had trouble falling asleep and 17.8% of adults had trouble staying asleep.
- 12.
Women in the U.S. were more likely than men to have trouble falling asleep on most days in 2020, at 17.1% versus 11.7%.
National Center for Health Statistics, Sleep Difficulties in Adults: United States, 2020 (NCHS Data Brief No. 436) (Jun 2022)
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Women (17.1%) were more likely to have trouble falling asleep than men (11.7%).
- 13.
38% of U.S. adults do not feel refreshed when they wake up and 46% wake somewhat often or more during the night, according to NSF's 2025 poll.
National Sleep Foundation, 2025 Sleep in America Poll: Summary of Findings (Mar 2025)
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(2) 38% of adults do not feel refreshed upon waking up in the morning, and (3) Nearly 50% of adults (46%) wake up somewhat often or more during the night.
- 14.
50% of U.S. adults received an overall F grade on NSF's Sleep Satisfaction Tool in 2025.
National Sleep Foundation, 2025 Sleep in America Poll: Summary of Findings (Mar 2025)
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An incredible 50% of adults received an overall ‘F’ grade for their sleep satisfaction.
- 15.
12% of U.S. adults said they have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia in an AASM survey of 2,006 adults fielded in May 2024.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Survey shows 12% of Americans have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia (Jun 2024)
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In a new survey commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 12% of Americans said they have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia.
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Trouble staying asleep most days, U.S. adults by age, 2020
Trouble staying asleep most days or every day in the past 30 days, National Health Interview Survey 2020.
- 18 to 4413.8%
- 45 to 6421.8%
- 65 and older20.3%
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Sleep Difficulties in Adults: United States, 2020 (NCHS Data Brief No. 436)
Sleep among teens and children
- 16.
About 1 in 4 U.S. high school students got at least 8 hours of sleep on an average school night in 2025, according to CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Health in Focus (2026)
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In 2025, about 1 in 4 high school students got at least 8 hours of sleep on an average school night.
- 17.
Parents report that 44% of U.S. children aged 0 to 13 do not consistently get the amount of sleep NSF recommends for their age, according to the 2026 Sleep in America Poll.
National Sleep Foundation, 2026 Sleep in America Poll Report (Mar 2026)
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According to parents, 44% of children across all age groups do not consistently get the amount of sleep recommended by NSF.
- 18.
Only 14% of newborns regularly meet NSF's sleep guidelines according to their parents, compared with 66% of toddlers.
National Sleep Foundation, 2026 Sleep in America Poll Report (Mar 2026)
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Newborns are least likely to meet the guidelines—only 14% regularly do—while toddlers are most likely, with about two-thirds (66%) regularly getting enough sleep.
- 19.
57% of U.S. parents estimated their child needs less sleep than NSF recommends in the 2026 poll.
National Sleep Foundation, 2026 Sleep in America Poll Report (Mar 2026)
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Overall, 57% of parents estimated the amount of sleep their child needs to be well-rested and feel their best at levels lower than those recommended by NSF.
- 20.
Only 30% of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 rated their sleep quality as excellent or very good in NSF's 2024 poll, and nearly 2 in 10 took a sleep medication at least once in the past week.
National Sleep Foundation, 2024 Sleep in America Poll Report (Mar 2024)
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Notable datapoints include the following: (1) Only 30% of teens rated their sleep quality as either excellent or very good, (2) Nearly 2 in 10 teens reported taking a sleep medication at least once in the past week, and (3) More than 1 in 10 teens have spoken to a doctor about sleep problems—all warrant further investigation.
Noise and sleep disturbance
- 21.
About 4.6 million Europeans suffer severe sleep disturbance from transport noise, and 16.9 million experience long-term annoyance, according to the European Environment Agency's 2025 noise report.
European Environment Agency, Environmental noise in Europe 2025 (Jun 2025)
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Almost 16.9 million Europeans experience long-term annoyance due to noise from transport and approximately 4.6 million suffer from severe sleep disturbances.
- 22.
Over 20% of Europeans are exposed to harmful transport noise under the EU's reporting threshold, and over 30% when measured against WHO recommendations.
European Environment Agency, Environmental noise in Europe 2025 (Jun 2025)
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According to the latest Environmental Noise Directive (END) reporting, over 20% of Europeans — more than one in five — are exposed to harmful transport noise levels.
- 23.
Transport noise costs Europe 1.5 million healthy life years a year, equivalent to at least EUR 100 billion or about 0.6% of GDP, according to the EEA.
European Environment Agency, Environmental noise in Europe 2025 (Jun 2025)
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Noise pollution from transport sources results in the loss of 1.5 million healthy life years annually in Europe, equivalent to an annual economic cost of at least EUR 100 billion, representing around 0.6% of the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) each year.
- 24.
WHO guidelines for community noise recommend less than 30 dB(A) in bedrooms at night for good-quality sleep.
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Noise (fact sheet) (2018)
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The WHO guidelines for community noise recommend less than 30 A-weighted decibels (dB(A)) in bedrooms during the night for a sleep of good quality and less than 35 dB(A) in classrooms to allow good teaching and learning conditions.
- 25.
WHO night noise guidelines recommend an annual average of less than 40 dB(A) Lnight outside bedrooms to prevent health effects from night noise.
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Noise (fact sheet) (2018)
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The WHO guidelines for night noise recommend less than 40 dB(A) of annual average (Lnight) outside of bedrooms to prevent adverse health effects from night noise.
- 26.
More than 30% of people in EU countries are exposed to road traffic noise above 55 dB(A) at night, according to an EU figure cited by WHO.
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Noise (fact sheet) (2018)
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According to a European Union (EU) publication: about 40% of the population in EU countries is exposed to road traffic noise at levels exceeding 55 db(A); 20% is exposed to levels exceeding 65 dB(A) during the daytime; and more than 30% is exposed to levels exceeding 55 dB(A) at night.
- 27.
36% of U.S. adults always or often experience disrupted sleep because of outside noise, about the same share as indoor lights (35%) and outdoor lights (33%), according to an AASM survey.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Survey explores Americans’ regular bedtime routines (Jan 2024)
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According to a survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, more than one-third of Americans always or often experience disrupted sleep due to outside noise (36%), indoor lights (35%) and outdoor lights (33%).
- 28.
41% of U.S. parents use a sound machine as part of their child's bedtime routine, behind blackout curtains (49%) and reading a book (46%), according to NSF's 2026 poll.
National Sleep Foundation, 2026 Sleep in America Poll Report (Mar 2026)
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Common Parts of Children’ s Bedtime Routines The most commonly reported components of children’s bedtime routines were using room-darkening or blackout curtains (49%), reading a book before bed (46%), and using a sound machine (41%).
Chart
People in Europe exposed to transport noise above 55 dB Lden, by source (millions)
Exposure above the Environmental Noise Directive threshold for the day-evening-night period, latest EU reporting.
- Road traffic92
- Rail18
- Aircraft2.6
Source: European Environment Agency, Environmental noise in Europe 2025
Sleep medication, melatonin and sleep products
- 29.
8.4% of U.S. adults took sleep medication every day or most days in the past 30 days to help them fall or stay asleep in 2020.
National Center for Health Statistics, Sleep Medication Use in Adults Aged 18 and Over: United States, 2020 (NCHS Data Brief No. 462) (Jan 2023)
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Summary In 2020, 8.4% of adults used sleep medication every day or most days in the past 30 days to help them fall or stay asleep.
- 30.
Women in the U.S. were more likely than men to take sleep medication on most days in 2020, at 10.2% versus 6.6%.
National Center for Health Statistics, Sleep Medication Use in Adults Aged 18 and Over: United States, 2020 (NCHS Data Brief No. 462) (Jan 2023)
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Women (10.2%) were more likely than men (6.6%) to take medication for sleep, and the use of medication generally increased with increasing age.
- 31.
Melatonin use among U.S. adults rose from 0.4% in 1999 to 2000 to 2.1% in 2017 to 2018, according to an analysis of NHANES data in JAMA.
JAMA, Trends in Use of Melatonin Supplements Among US Adults, 1999-2018 (Feb 2022)
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The overall reported weighted prevalence of melatonin use increased from 0.4% (95% CI, 0.2%-1.0%) in 1999-2000 to 2.1% (95% CI, 1.5%-2.9%) in 2017-2018 (linear P = .004) (Figure), with an increase beginning in 2009-2010 (quadratic P < .001).
- 32.
Use of high-dose melatonin, above 5 mg a day, more than tripled among U.S. adults from 0.08% in 2005 to 2006 to 0.28% in 2017 to 2018, NIH reports.
National Institutes of Health, Use of melatonin supplements rising among adults (Mar 2022)
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This use of high-dose melatonin supplementation more than tripled over the period studied, from 0.08% of study participants in 2005-2006 to 0.28% in 2017-2018.
- 33.
Pediatric melatonin ingestions reported to U.S. poison control centers rose 530% from 8,337 in 2012 to 52,563 in 2021.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pediatric Melatonin Ingestions — United States, 2012–2021 (MMWR) (Jun 2022)
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The number of pediatric melatonin ingestions increased 530% from 8,337 in 2012 to 52,563 in 2021, with the largest yearly increase (37.9%) occurring from 2019 to 2020.
- 34.
U.S. sales of over-the-counter melatonin grew from $285 million in 2016 to $821 million in 2020, according to the CDC report.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pediatric Melatonin Ingestions — United States, 2012–2021 (MMWR) (Jun 2022)
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Various synthetic melatonin preparations are widely available over the counter (OTC) in the United States with sales increasing from $285 million in 2016 to $821 million in 2020 ( 3 ).
- 35.
24% of U.S. parents have given a child under 18 melatonin to help them fall asleep, according to AASM's 2025 survey, rising to 33% of parents aged 35 to 44.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Sleep Prioritization Survey 2025: Parents giving a child melatonin (Aug 2025)
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Results • Nearly one-quarter of parents (24%) have turned to melatonin to help their child fall asleep.
- 36.
47% of U.S. adults use a fan while sleeping, 29% use blackout curtains and 24% use a wake-up light alarm clock, according to an AASM survey.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Survey explores Americans’ regular bedtime routines (Jan 2024)
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The survey also probed what products are used during sleep and found that nearly half of people use a fan (47%), 29% use black-out curtains and 24% use an alarm clock with wake-up lights.
- 37.
18% of U.S. adults use noise machines or apps and 16% use earplugs during sleep, according to the same AASM survey.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Survey explores Americans’ regular bedtime routines (Jan 2024)
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Other popular accessories include: weighted blankets (20%), sleep masks (20%), noise machines or apps (18%) and the old classic, ear plugs (16%).
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Sleep medication use most days, U.S. adults by age, 2020
Took sleep medication every day or most days in the past 30 days, National Health Interview Survey 2020.
- 18 to 445.6%
- 45 to 6410.1%
- 65 and older11.9%
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, Sleep Medication Use in Adults Aged 18 and Over: United States, 2020 (NCHS Data Brief No. 462)
Sleep trackers and wearables
- 38.
48% of U.S. adults have used a sleep tracking device such as a smartwatch or app, up from 35% in 2023, according to AASM's 2025 survey of 2,007 adults.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Sleep tracking and ‘sleepmaxxing’ change bedtime behaviors — and keep some Americans awake at night (Jan 2026)
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According to a new survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, nearly half of adults (48%) have used a sleep tracking device — such as a smartwatch or app — to monitor their sleep quality and duration, up from 35% in 2023 .
- 39.
56% of U.S. men and 40% of U.S. women use a sleep tracker, according to AASM's 2025 survey.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Sleep tracking and ‘sleepmaxxing’ change bedtime behaviors — and keep some Americans awake at night (Jan 2026)
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Men (56%) are more likely than women (40%) to use a sleep tracker and are more likely to change behavior based on what they have learned.
- 40.
55% of U.S. adults have changed their behavior based on what they learned from a sleep tracker, according to AASM.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Sleep tracking and ‘sleepmaxxing’ change bedtime behaviors — and keep some Americans awake at night (Jan 2026)
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The majority of adults ( 55% ) are acting based on what they learn from a sleep tracker and changing their behaviors.
- 41.
76% of U.S. adults have lost sleep because of worries about sleep problems, according to AASM's 2025 survey.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Sleep tracking and ‘sleepmaxxing’ change bedtime behaviors — and keep some Americans awake at night (Jan 2026)
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According to the survey, most adults (76%) have lost sleep due to worries about sleep problems .
- 42.
29% of U.S. adults used wearable devices in 2019 to 2020, according to a JAMA Network Open analysis of the federal Health Information National Trends Survey.
JAMA Network Open, Use of Wearable Devices in Individuals With or at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease in the US, 2019 to 2020 (Jun 2023)
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Findings In this cross-sectional study based on a representative sample of 9303 US adults in 2019 and 2020, 18% with established CVD and 26% at risk for CVD reported using wearable devices compared with 29% of the general population.
- 43.
Among U.S. adults who use wearable devices, 49% use them every day, according to the same HINTS analysis.
JAMA Network Open, Use of Wearable Devices in Individuals With or at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease in the US, 2019 to 2020 (Jun 2023)
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Among wearable device users, a smaller proportion of adults with CVD reported using wearable devices every day (38% [95% CI, 26%-50%]) compared with overall (49% [95% CI, 45%-53%]) and at-risk (48% [95% CI, 43%-53%]) populations.
- 44.
21% of U.S. adults said they regularly wear a smartwatch or fitness tracker in a Pew Research Center survey conducted in June 2019.
Pew Research Center, About one-in-five Americans use a smart watch or fitness tracker (Jan 2020)
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adults (21%) say they regularly wear a smart watch or wearable fitness tracker, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted June 3-17, 2019.
- 45.
22% of U.S. parents of children aged 0 to 13 use sleep-monitoring technology as part of their child's bedtime routine, according to NSF's 2026 poll.
National Sleep Foundation, 2026 Sleep in America Poll Report (Mar 2026)
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Fewer than three in ten parents reported singing a song before bed (26%), using sleep-monitoring technology (22%), or playing music or stories on a device (18%).
Health, safety and economic costs of poor sleep
- 46.
Insufficient sleep costs the U.S. economy up to $411 billion a year, or 2.28% of GDP, according to a 2016 RAND Europe analysis.
RAND, Lack of Sleep Costing U.S. Economy Up to $411 Billion a Year (Nov 2016)
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has the biggest financial losses (up to $411 billion, which is 2.28 percent of its GDP) and most working days lost (1.2 million) due to sleep deprivation among its workforce.
- 47.
People who sleep less than six hours a night on average have a 13% higher mortality risk than those who sleep seven to nine hours, according to RAND.
RAND, Lack of Sleep Costing U.S. Economy Up to $411 Billion a Year (Nov 2016)
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A person who sleeps on average less than six hours a night has a 13 percent higher mortality risk than someone sleeping between seven and nine hours, researchers found, while those sleeping between six and seven hours a day have a 7 percent higher mortality risk.
- 48.
644 people died in drowsy-driving-related crashes in the U.S. in 2024, according to NHTSA.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Drowsy Driving: Avoid Falling Asleep Behind the Wheel (2026)
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644 Deaths from drowsy-driving-related crashes in 2024
- 49.
NHTSA estimates 91,000 police-reported crashes involved drowsy drivers in 2017, injuring about 50,000 people.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Drowsy Driving: Avoid Falling Asleep Behind the Wheel (2026)
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NHTSA estimates that in 2017, 91,000 police-reported crashes involved drowsy drivers.
- 50.
41% of U.S. adults say they have felt so sleepy while driving that it affected their ability to drive safely, according to AASM's 2025 survey.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Coffee is no cure: Survey data highlight risks of drowsy driving (Oct 2026)
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According to survey results from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 41% of adults say they have felt so sleepy while driving that it affected their ability to drive safely.
- 51.
An estimated 936 million adults aged 30 to 69 worldwide have mild to severe obstructive sleep apnea, according to a 2019 analysis in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis (Aug 2019)
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Using an AHI criterion of five or more events per h and the AASM 2012 criteria, an estimated 936 million (95% CI 903–970) individuals aged 30–69 years (men and women) worldwide were found to have obstructive sleep apnoea; the corresponding figure for an AHI of 15 or more events per h was 425 million (399–450; figure 1 ).
- 52.
About 425 million adults aged 30 to 69 worldwide have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, the level at which treatment is generally recommended.
The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis (Aug 2019)
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Discussion Our estimates suggest that nearly 1 billion adults aged 30–69 years worldwide could have obstructive sleep apnoea, and the number of people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea, for which treatment is generally recommended, is estimated to be almost 425 million.
Questions readers ask
- How many adults don't get enough sleep?
- About one in three U.S. adults sleeps less than 7 hours a night: CDC put short sleep at 33.2% of adults in 2020, with state rates from 30% to 46% in 2022. In the National Sleep Foundation's 2025 poll, 60% of adults said they do not regularly get the amount of sleep NSF recommends.
- How much sleep do Americans get on average?
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics found Americans aged 15 and older spent 9.03 hours a day sleeping in 2025, but that time-use measure includes naps and time awake in bed. In Gallup's 2023 poll, about a quarter of adults said they sleep eight hours or more and 20% said five hours or less.
- How does noise affect sleep?
- Noise fragments sleep even when it does not fully wake people, so WHO recommends less than 30 dB(A) in bedrooms and less than 40 dB Lnight outside them. The European Environment Agency estimates 4.6 million Europeans have severe sleep disturbance from transport noise, and 36% of U.S. adults told AASM that outside noise always or often disrupts their sleep.
- How many people use sleep aids?
- NCHS found 8.4% of U.S. adults took sleep medication every day or most days in 2020, rising to 11.9% of adults 65 and older. Melatonin use among adults rose from 0.4% to 2.1% between 1999 and 2018, and 24% of parents told AASM in 2025 that they have given a child melatonin.
- How many people use sleep trackers?
- 48% of U.S. adults used a sleep tracking device in 2025, up from 35% in 2023, according to AASM, and 55% of users changed their behavior based on the data. Men (56%) were more likely to use one than women (40%).
- How many teenagers get enough sleep?
- Only about 1 in 4 U.S. high school students got at least 8 hours of sleep on an average school night in 2025, according to CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey. In NSF's 2024 poll, only 30% of teens rated their sleep quality as excellent or very good.
Where these numbers come from
We chose figures that describe sleep directly: duration, insufficient sleep, sleep problems, night noise, sleep medication and supplements, sleep products, sleep tracking and the costs of poor sleep. Federal figures come from CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the National Health Interview Survey (NCHS), NHANES and the American Time Use Survey (BLS). Survey figures from AASM, NSF, Gallup and Pew are online or phone polls of about 1,000 to 2,000 U.S. adults with margins of error of about 2 to 4 points. Definitions differ: CDC counts short sleep as under 7 hours, NSF uses its own age-based ranges, and BLS time-use data count all time spent sleeping including naps, so the numbers are not directly comparable. European noise figures are modeled from noise maps reported under the EU Environmental Noise Directive. Some fundamentals, such as RAND's cost estimate and the global sleep apnea estimate, are older and are labeled with their year. Every quote was checked against the source page on the date shown. We store the sentence each number appears in, and a script loads the publisher's page again to make sure that sentence is still there. Our methodology has the details.
Sources
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Survey shows 12% of Americans have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia (Jun 2024).
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Survey explores Americans’ regular bedtime routines (Jan 2024).
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Sleep Prioritization Survey 2025: Parents giving a child melatonin (Aug 2025).
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Sleep tracking and ‘sleepmaxxing’ change bedtime behaviors — and keep some Americans awake at night (Jan 2026).
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Coffee is no cure: Survey data highlight risks of drowsy driving (Oct 2026).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevalence and Geographic Patterns of Self-Reported Short Sleep Duration Among US Adults, 2020 (Jun 2023).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. FastStats: Sleep in Adults (May 2024).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Health in Focus (2026).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pediatric Melatonin Ingestions — United States, 2012–2021 (MMWR) (Jun 2022).
- European Environment Agency. Environmental noise in Europe 2025 (Jun 2025).
- Gallup. Americans Sleeping Less, More Stressed (Apr 2024).
- JAMA. Trends in Use of Melatonin Supplements Among US Adults, 1999-2018 (Feb 2022).
- JAMA Network Open. Use of Wearable Devices in Individuals With or at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease in the US, 2019 to 2020 (Jun 2023).
- National Center for Health Statistics. Sleep Difficulties in Adults: United States, 2020 (NCHS Data Brief No. 436) (Jun 2022).
- National Center for Health Statistics. Sleep Medication Use in Adults Aged 18 and Over: United States, 2020 (NCHS Data Brief No. 462) (Jan 2023).
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Drowsy Driving: Avoid Falling Asleep Behind the Wheel (2026).
- National Institutes of Health. Use of melatonin supplements rising among adults (Mar 2022).
- National Sleep Foundation. 2025 Sleep in America Poll: Summary of Findings (Mar 2025).
- National Sleep Foundation. 2026 Sleep in America Poll Report (Mar 2026).
- National Sleep Foundation. 2024 Sleep in America Poll Report (Mar 2024).
- Pew Research Center. About one-in-five Americans use a smart watch or fitness tracker (Jan 2020).
- RAND. Lack of Sleep Costing U.S. Economy Up to $411 Billion a Year (Nov 2016).
- The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis (Aug 2019).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. American Time Use Survey: Latest Numbers (Jun 2026).
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Noise (fact sheet) (2018).
Citing this page
Link to this page or to a single numbered figure. If you reuse a number, name the organization that released it in the first place.
HearSmart. (2026, November 7). Sleep Statistics 2026. https://hearsmart.org/sleep-statistics
Found a number that changed or a source that moved? Email editorial@hearsmart.org. We plan to check this page again by January 6, 2027.