Sleep deprivation isn't a personal failing; it's a national pattern.
About 1 in 3 American adults gets less than 7 hours of sleep on a typical night; the rate hasn't budged in over a decade, and the downstream costs touch everything from heart disease to highway fatalities to GDP. Newer numbers from the CDC, peer-reviewed sleep apnea estimates, and the AAA Foundation's drowsy-driving model paint a fuller picture than what most articles still cite.
Top Sleep Deprivation Statistics (Editor's Picks)
We've handpicked 35+ of the latest sleep deprivation statistics, facts, and trends. Here are 6 that we believe will blow you away.
- 30.5% of US adults, roughly 1 in 3, get less than 7 hours of sleep
- 17.6% of all fatal US car crashes involve a drowsy driver
- 83.7 million US adults have obstructive sleep apnea
- Sleep deprivation costs the US economy up to $411 billion a year
- 12.9% of US adults use sleep aids most days or every day
- 35% of Americans have used an electronic sleep tracker
Sleep Deprivation in US Adults Over Time (2013–2024)
How Many Americans Are Sleep Deprived?
30.5% of US adults sleep less than 7 hours per night
According to the National Center for Health Statistics' April 2026 data brief, 30.5% of US adults reported short sleep duration on average in a 24-hour period in 2024. The rate was nearly identical for men (30.6%) and women (30.4%). This is the most recent national figure available, drawn from the National Health Interview Survey of more than 30,000 respondents.
The average US adult sleeps 7.13 hours per night
A Yale-led analysis of 91,848 NHIS respondents pegged the average adult sleep duration at 7.13 hours in 2024, right at the lower edge of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's recommended 7-to-9 hour range. Mean sleep duration has stayed roughly stable across NHIS cycles in 2020, 2022, and 2024.
33.2% of US adults are short sleepers per BRFSS
The CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System found 33.2% of US adults reported short sleep (≤6 hours) in its most recent post-pandemic analysis of 228,463 adults. Both figures point to roughly one-third of US adults consistently sleeping less than recommended.
50 to 70 million Americans live with a sleep disorder
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute estimates 50 to 70 million Americans have a chronic sleep disorder, ranging from insomnia and sleep apnea to restless legs syndrome and narcolepsy. The NHLBI calls insufficient sleep and undertreatment of these disorders "a national health concern" with substantial economic consequences.
Short sleep prevalence has stayed flat for over a decade
The percentage of US adults not getting enough sleep stayed essentially the same from 2013 to 2022, per the CDC's BRFSS tracker. The plateau is striking given the explosion of sleep technology, public-health messaging, and supplement spending in the same window. None of those interventions has moved the national needle yet.
Sleep Deprivation by Demographics & State
Black adults have the highest short sleep rate at 40.2%
In 2024, Black non-Hispanic adults were significantly more likely to report short sleep than any other major racial or ethnic group, at 40.2%. Asian non-Hispanic adults reported the lowest rate at 27.9%, while White non-Hispanic and Hispanic adults sat near the national average at 28.9% and 29.0%, respectively. The gap has widened since 2020.
American Indian/Alaska Native adults have a 38.7% short sleep rate
AI/AN adults were the second-most-affected group in 2024, with 38.7% reporting short sleep. Researchers attribute persistent racial disparities in sleep health to a combination of socioeconomic status, neighborhood environment, shift-work distribution, and access to healthcare for underdiagnosed sleep disorders.
Adults aged 50–64 have the worst short sleep rates at 34.5%
Short sleep duration peaks in middle age, climbing from 27.2% among adults 18–34 to 34.5% among 50- to 64-year-olds, before falling back to 27.2% among adults 65 and older. Working-age stress, perimenopause among women, and chronic disease management likely all contribute to the midlife dip.
Women are more likely to have trouble falling and staying asleep
In 2024, 18.1% of US adults reported trouble staying asleep most days or every day, and 15.4% reported trouble falling asleep. Women were significantly more likely than men on both measures and were less likely to report waking up well-rested. Only 54.8% of US adults said they wake up well-rested most days.
Hawaii has the highest short sleep rate at 46%
Among states, Hawaii leads with 46% of adults not getting enough sleep, while Vermont sits at the bottom of the list at 30%. The 16-percentage-point gap reflects everything from time-zone effects on shift workers to differences in commute structure, housing density, and chronic disease prevalence.
Southeastern US states cluster at the high end
The southeastern United States consistently shows higher short-sleep rates than any other region. States like Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and West Virginia regularly run well above the national average. Researchers point to higher rates of obesity, shift work, and untreated sleep apnea as the most likely contributors.
Here's the breakdown of the highest short-sleep states for adults:
| State | Short Sleep % |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | ~46% |
| Kentucky | ~41% |
| Alabama | ~40% |
| West Virginia | ~39% |
| Mississippi | ~39% |
| Vermont | ~30% |
Teen and Child Sleep Deprivation
Only 23% of US high school students get the recommended 8 hours of sleep
The CDC's 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found just 23% of US high school students reported getting at least 8 hours of sleep on a typical school night, down from roughly 30% a decade earlier. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 8 to 10 hours nightly for teens aged 13–18. Boys (25%) outperform girls (22%) on the metric, but both groups have declined.
34.9% of US children aged 4 months to 17 years are short sleepers
A CDC analysis of the National Survey of Children's Health found 34.9% of US children aged 4 months to 17 years sleep less than the AASM-recommended duration for their age. Prevalence ranges from 31.2% among teens to 40.3% among infants 4 to 11 months old. Children with regular bedtimes were significantly more likely to get enough sleep.
72.7% of high schoolers reported short sleep in the most-cited CDC analysis
The CDC's multi-state analysis put the prevalence of short sleep duration among US high school students at 72.7%, with state-level estimates ranging from 61.8% in South Dakota to 82.5% in West Virginia. Among middle schoolers in nine reporting states, the prevalence was 57.8%.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends the following sleep durations by age group:
| Age Group | Recommended Hours per Day |
|---|---|
| Infants (4–11 months) | 12–16 hours |
| Toddlers (1–2 years) | 11–14 hours |
| Preschool (3–5 years) | 10–13 hours |
| School age (6–12 years) | 9–12 hours |
| Teens (13–18 years) | 8–10 hours |
| Adults (18–64) | 7–9 hours |
| Older adults (65+) | 7–8 hours |
Teen sleep loss correlates with depressive symptoms
A peer-reviewed analysis of 2013–2023 YRBS data found a robust correlation between adolescents reporting inadequate sleep and adolescents reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. The 2023 wave saw the lowest rate of adequate teen sleep on record alongside elevated depressive symptoms, particularly among girls.
Drowsy Driving and the Workplace
17.6% of fatal US car crashes involve a drowsy driver
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety used in-depth NHTSA crash investigation data to model drowsy-driving involvement across all 152,174 fatal US crashes from 2017 to 2021. The model imputed driver drowsiness in 17.6% of those crashes, far higher than the 1–2% figure derived from police reports alone. NHTSA itself acknowledges the police-report figure is a substantial undercount.
29,834 people died in US drowsy-driving crashes from 2017–2021
The same AAA Foundation analysis estimated that 29,834 people were killed in crashes involving a drowsy driver over the five-year window, an average of nearly 6,000 deaths per year. The annual count rose from 5,773 in 2017 to 6,726 in 2021, even as overall traffic fatalities held roughly steady.
NHTSA records about 91,000 police-reported drowsy crashes a year
NHTSA's official figures count 91,000 police-reported crashes involving drowsy drivers in a typical recent year, resulting in roughly 50,000 injuries and nearly 800 deaths. NHTSA itself notes broad agreement across traffic safety, sleep science, and public-health communities that the police-reported figure substantially understates the real impact.
19% of US drivers admit to driving "very drowsy" in the past 30 days
A 2021 AAA Foundation survey found 19% of respondents acknowledged getting behind the wheel while "very drowsy" at least once in the prior 30 days. Other AAA research has put the lifetime prevalence of driving "drowsy enough that you had a hard time keeping your eyes open" at over 40% of all licensed drivers.
30% of employed US adults, roughly 40.6 million workers, sleep 6 hours or fewer
The CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health analyzed NHIS data and found 30% of civilian-employed US adults, about 40.6 million workers, reported short sleep of 6 hours or fewer per day. Manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare workers showed the highest rates, driven by shift work and long hours.
Shift workers are 6× more likely to be in a drowsy-driving crash
Workers on night shifts, double shifts, or rotating swing schedules are six times more likely to be involved in a drowsy-driving crash than regular daytime workers, per AAA Foundation research. Shift workers also report higher rates of every major sleep disorder, including OSA and shift-work sleep disorder.
Sleep Disorders Statistics
83.7 million US adults, 32.4%, have obstructive sleep apnea
A 2025 peer-reviewed analysis published in Respiratory Medicine estimated that 83.7 million US adults, 32.4% of the adult population, had obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in 2024. The authors used contemporary AHI4 criteria and adjusted for the obesity epidemic, the single largest driver of OSA prevalence.
About 80% of adults with sleep apnea remain undiagnosed
A 2025 epidemiologic model presented at the SLEEP conference estimated that of the ~85.6 million US adults with OSA, 68.5 million, about 80%, are undiagnosed. Among the 17.1 million who are diagnosed, up to 4.5 million remain untreated. Closing the diagnosis gap is one of the largest unmet needs in US sleep medicine.
By 2050, OSA will affect 77 million US adults
A 2025 Lancet Respiratory Medicine study projects OSA will affect nearly 77 million US adults by 2050, a 35% relative increase from 2020. Among adults aged 30 to 69, the projected prevalence reaches 46%. The aging population and rising body mass index drive most of the increase.
18.1% of US adults have trouble staying asleep most or every day
The 2024 NHIS found 18.1% of US adults reported trouble staying asleep most days or every day, and 15.4% reported trouble falling asleep. Both figures rose slightly from 2020. Women had higher rates than men on both measures, and the trouble-falling-asleep rate decreased steadily with age, from 18.3% among 18- to 34-year-olds to 12.8% among adults 65 and older.
Insomnia affects between 10% and 30% of US adults
Clinical insomnia prevalence estimates range from 10% to 30% of US adults, depending on the diagnostic criteria used. The Sleep Foundation's 2020 Sleep in America Poll found more than a third of adults aren't getting recommended sleep and feel sleepy during the day at least half the week.
The Economic Cost of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation costs the US economy up to $411 billion a year
A landmark RAND Europe study quantified the cost of insufficient sleep among US workers at up to $411 billion annually, equal to 2.28% of US GDP. The figure captures absenteeism, presenteeism, and elevated mortality risk among short sleepers. The US has the largest absolute economic loss from sleep deprivation among the five OECD countries RAND analyzed.
The US loses 1.2 million working days a year to sleep deprivation
The same RAND analysis found that sleep-deprived US workers cost the economy roughly 1.2 million working days annually, through a combination of absences and reduced on-the-job performance. A worker sleeping fewer than six hours a night loses around six working days per year to a mix of absenteeism and presenteeism.
Adults sleeping less than 6 hours have a 13% higher mortality risk
People who sleep less than six hours a night have a 13% higher mortality risk than those who sleep seven to nine hours, and those getting six to seven hours have a 7% higher risk. The mortality penalty is one of the largest drivers of the headline GDP cost. Reduced sleep also raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's.
Adding one hour for short sleepers could grow the US economy by $226 billion
If every American sleeping less than six hours a night moved to six to seven hours instead, RAND projected the US economy would gain $226.4 billion annually. The math works because that first extra hour gives back most of the lost productivity for chronic short sleepers.
Sleep Aids and Tracker Trends
12.9% of US adults use sleep aids most days or every day
The most recent NCHS Health E-Stat, published in April 2026 with 2024 data, found 12.9% of US adults aged 18 and older used some kind of sleep aid most days or every day in the past 30 days. Women (14.8%) were significantly more likely than men (10.8%) to use any sleep aid. Use rose with age, from 10.5% of adults 18–34 to 15.8% of adults 65 and older.
5.7% of US adults use OTC medications or supplements as a sleep aid
Within the 12.9% who use any sleep aid, 5.7% specifically rely on over-the-counter medications or supplements, slightly outpacing the 5.2% who use prescription sleep medications. Use of both categories climbs steadily with age, peaking among adults 65 and older.
For readers wanting to dig into the science behind specific sleep ingredients, Nootropics Depot's research snapshots and supplement buying guides review the published evidence on melatonin, magnesium, L-theanine, and other commonly used sleep compounds.
Sleep aid use rises with age, peaking at 15.8% among adults 65+
The percentage of adults using any sleep aid most days or every day climbs steadily with age, from 10.5% of adults 18–34 to 12.4% of those 35–49, 13.4% of those 50–64, and 15.8% of those 65 and older. Within the 65+ group, prescription medication use (8.8%) slightly outpaces OTC and supplement use (7.6%), reflecting older adults' higher rates of formal insomnia diagnosis.
35% of Americans have used an electronic sleep tracker
A 2023 AASM survey of 2,005 US adults found 35% had used an electronic sleep-tracking device. Among users, 77% reported the device was helpful, and 68% said they had changed their behavior based on what they learned. Use is substantially higher among adults under 35 and among higher-income households.
The wearable sleep tracker market hit $15.1 billion in 2024
The global wearable sleep tracker market reached $15.1 billion in 2024 and will grow to $41.7 billion by 2034, a 10.7% compound annual growth rate. North America accounts for 43.2% of total market revenue, with Apple, Fitbit, Oura, and Whoop driving most consumer adoption.
44% of Americans now own a wearable health tracker
According to Rock Health's 2023 Digital Health Consumer Adoption Survey, 44% of Americans own a wearable health-tracking device, smartwatch, smart ring, or fitness band that monitors sleep along with other vitals. Adoption climbs each year, especially among adults 18–44, and is increasingly being incorporated into clinical care via remote-patient-monitoring partnerships.
Conclusion
Sleep deprivation is one of the few public-health metrics that has stayed essentially flat for over a decade, despite massive investment in awareness and tools.
About 1 in 3 Americans still gets less than 7 hours of sleep a night, an estimated 83 million adults likely have undiagnosed or untreated sleep apnea, drowsy driving accounts for roughly one in six fatal car crashes, and the productivity and mortality cost reaches $411 billion a year. At the same time, 1 in 8 Americans now reaches for a sleep aid daily, 1 in 3 has tried a sleep tracker, and the consumer sleep-tech market is on track to nearly triple this decade.
Looking ahead, the gap between the data getting better and the outcomes getting better is the story to watch. Whether the next decade finally bends the short-sleep curve will likely depend less on new gadgets and more on whether undiagnosed sleep disorders get caught and treated.
For ongoing research-based reading on sleep, supplements, and the science behind them, Nootropics Depot's articles hub is updated regularly.
FAQ
How many Americans are sleep-deprived in 2026?
About 30.5% of US adults, roughly 1 in 3, get less than 7 hours of sleep on average, per the most recent CDC NHIS data published in April 2026. The figure has hovered between 30% and 35% for over a decade.
What factors affect sleep deprivation?
The biggest drivers are work hours and shift schedules, untreated sleep disorders (especially sleep apnea), screen exposure before bed, caffeine and alcohol use, chronic stress, and underlying health conditions like obesity, diabetes, and depression.
Why does sleep deprivation matter?
Insufficient sleep raises mortality risk by up to 13%, increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's, contributes to roughly 17.6% of fatal US car crashes, and costs the US economy up to $411 billion a year in lost productivity.
Which state has the worst sleep?
Hawaii leads the country with 46% of adults reporting they don't get enough sleep, while Vermont has the lowest rate at 30%, per CDC BRFSS data. Southeastern US states cluster at the high end of the rankings.
How much does sleep deprivation cost the US economy?
RAND Europe estimates US sleep deprivation costs up to $411 billion annually, about 2.28% of GDP, through absenteeism, presenteeism, and elevated mortality risk. If every American sleeping less than 6 hours moved to 6–7 hours, the economy could grow by $226 billion a year.