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March 12, 2024 11 mins
Get ready to dive into the world of American sleep habits! We've got a treasure trove of data and statistics that'll make you laugh, cry, and maybe even snore a little. So, grab your favorite pillow, put on your comfiest pajamas, and let's explore the state of sleep in the U.S.! First up, let's talk about the quality of sleep. Did you know that 72% of U.S. adults got enough shuteye in 2020? That's right, folks – almost three-quarters of Americans were catching those precious Zs! But wait, there's more! If you're looking for the best place to snooze, pack your bags and head to Minnesota or Vermont. On the flip side, if you're a fan of late-night infomercials, Hawaii might be your jam – 46% of adults there report sleeping less than seven hours a night. Yikes! Now, let's talk about sleep preferences. Brace yourselves, because this is where things get a little crazy. A whopping 70% of U.S. pet owners let their furry friends snuggle up in bed with them. That's right – Fido and Fluffy are living the dream! But what would you give up for the perfect night's sleep? Believe it or not, 18% of adults would ditch their cell phones for a month, while 25% would say goodbye to music. And if you're a fan of dining out, you might want to sit down for this one – 38% would give up eating out for a month in exchange for perfect sleep. Talk about dedication! But wait, there's more! Let's talk about noise. While some people prefer the sound of silence, others like to mix it up with a little white noise (15%), brown noise (10%), pink noise (7%), or even blue noise (8%). And let's not forget about the audiobook fans – 10% of adults listen to their favorite stories to drift off to dreamland. When it comes to bedding, Americans have some strong opinions. A high-quality mattress tops the list of most worthwhile bedding products (65%), followed by memory foam pillows (39%), high-thread-count sheets (37%), and down comforters (33%). And if you're looking to add a little extra weight (pun intended), 25% of adults say a weighted blanket is the way to go!
But what about sleep supplements? Well, buckle up, because this is where things get interesting. Amino acids, vitamin D, and melatonin supplements have all been found to significantly improve sleep quality. And if you're feeling a little adventurous, 19% of adults use cannabis/marijuana to help them catch some Zs. Just don't forget the snacks! Now, let's talk about sleep tech. From sleep apps (14%) to sleep podcasts (11%) and even ASMR (8%), Americans are embracing technology to help them drift off to dreamland. And if you're a fan of cuddling up with a body pillow, you're not alone! Over half of adults are interested in a cooling body pillow that won't make them overheat, while 48% want one that can help with back, neck, or hip pain. But it's not all fun and games when it comes to sleep. Some Americans have some pretty problematic sleep habits, like using devices with screens while falling asleep (29%), not replacing their mattress in nine or more years (20%), or even keeping the same pillows for over a decade (8%). And don't even get us started on the sheets – 28% of adults wash them once a month or less. Ew! And if you're in a relationship, you might have to deal with some sleep-related challenges. A whopping 47% of adults say their partner's snoring has negatively impacted their sleep, while 32% have to deal with a blanket hog. But hey, at least you've got someone to cuddle up with – 67% of adults prefer sharing a bed while sleeping. But it's not just relationships that can impact sleep – the world around us can too. From worrying about the 2024 presidential election (18%) to inflation and cost of living (53%), climate change (22%), and even gun violence (26%), Americans have a lot on their minds when it comes to sleep.
So, where should you go if you want to catch some quality Zs? According to our earlier study, "The Top U.S. Cities for Sleep Health," the best cities for sleep are mostly west of the Mississippi River. Austin, Texas, takes the top spot, followed by Raleigh, North Carolina (the only eastern city in the top 10), Fort Worth, Texas, and San Diego, California. On the flip side, if you're looking for a city that never sleeps, head to Philadelphia, Miami, or Detroit – they rank among the worst cities for sleep health. So there you have it, folks – a whirlwind tour of American sleep habits that's sure to make you laugh, cry, and maybe even snore a little. Whether you're cuddling up with your pet, listening to pink noise, or just trying to avoid your partner's snoring, one thing's for sure – Americans sure do have some interesting sleep preferences! But all joking aside, getting a good night's sleep is crucial for our health and well-being. So, whether you're a fan of weighted blankets or just like to keep things simple with a high-quality mattress, make sure you're prioritizing your sleep. Your mind and body will thank you! So what about sleep deprivation, where A
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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Get ready to dive into the worldof American sleep habits. We've got a
treasure trove of data and statistics that'llmake you laugh, cry, and maybe
even snore a little. So grabyour favorite pillow, put on your comfiest
pajamas, and let's explore the stateof sleep in the US. First up,

(00:24):
let's talk about the quality of sleep. Did you know that seventy two
percent of US adults got enough shuteye in twenty twenty. That's right,
folks, almost three quarters of Americanswere catching those precious z's. But wait,
there's more. If you're looking forthe best place to snooze, pack
your bags and head to Minnesota orVermont. On the flip side, if

(00:46):
you're a fan of late night infomercials, Hawaii might be your jam. Forty
six percent of adults there report sleepingless than seven hours a night. Yikes.
Now, let's talk about sleep preferences. Brace yourselves, because this is
where things get a little crazy.A whopping seventy percent of US pet owners
let their furry friends snuggle up inbed with them. That's right, Feedo

(01:11):
and Fluffy are living the dream.But what would you give up for the
perfect night's sleep. Believe it ornot, eighteen percent of adults would ditch
their cell phones for a month,while twenty five percent would say goodbye to
music. And if you're a fanof dining out, you might want to
sit down for this one. Thirtyeight percent would give up eating out for

(01:33):
a month in exchange for perfect sleep. Talk about dedication, But wait,
there's more. Let's talk about noise. While some people prefer the sound of
silence, others like to mix itup with a little white noise fifteen percent,
brown noise ten percent, pink noiseseven percent, or even blue noise

(01:57):
eight percent. And let's not forgetabout the audiobook fans. Ten percent of
adults listen to their favorite stories todrift off to dreamland. When it comes
to bedding, Americans have some strongopinions. A high quality mattress tops the
list of most worthwhile bedding products sixtyfive percent, followed by memory foam pillows

(02:20):
thirty nine percent, high thread countsheets thirty seven percent, and down comforters
thirty three percent. And if you'relooking to add a little extra weight pun
intended, twenty five percent of adultssay a weighted blanket is the way to
go. But what about sleep supplements, Well, buckle up, because this

(02:42):
is where things get interesting. AminoAcids, vitamin D, and melotonin supplements
have all been found to significantly improvesleep quality. And if you're feeling a
little adventurous, nineteen percent of adultsuse cannabis marijuana to help them catch some
zas. Just don't forget the snacks. Now, let's talk about sleep tech.

(03:05):
From sleep apps fourteen percent, tosleep podcasts eleven percent, and even
ASMR eight percent, Americans are embracingtechnology to help them drift off to dreamland.
And if you're a fan of cuddlingup with a body pillow, you're
not alone. Over half of adultsare interested in a cooling body pillow that

(03:27):
won't make them overheat, while fortyeight percent want one that can help with
back, neck, or hip pain. But it's not all fun and games
when it comes to sleep. SomeAmericans have some pretty problematic sleep habits,
like using devices with screens while fallingasleep twenty nine percent, not replacing their
mattress in nine or more years twentypercent, or even keeping the same pillows

(03:53):
for over a decade eight percent.And don't even get us started on the
sheets twenty eight percent of adults washthem once a month or less. You
and if you're in a relationship,you might have to deal with some sleep
related challenges. A whopping forty sevenpercent of adults say their partner's snoring has

(04:15):
negatively impacted their sleep, while thirtytwo percent have to deal with a blanket
hog. But hey, at leastyou've got someone to cuddle up with.
Sixty seven percent of adults prefer sharinga bed while sleeping. But it's not
just relationships that can impact sleep.The world around us can too. From
worrying about the twenty twenty four presidentialelection eighteen percent, to inflation and cost

(04:42):
of living fifty three percent, climatechange twenty two percent, and even gun
violence twenty six percent, Americans havea lot on their minds when it comes
to sleep. So where should yougo if you want to catch some quality
zs? According to our earlier studythe top US cities for sleep health,

(05:04):
the best cities for sleep are mostlywest of the Mississippi River. Austin,
Texas, takes the top spot,followed by Raleigh, North Carolina, the
only eastern city in the top ten, Fort Worth, Texas, and San
Diego, California. On the flipside, if you're looking for a city
that never sleeps, head to Philadelphia, Miami or Detroit. They rank among

(05:28):
the worst cities for sleep health.So there you have it, folks,
a whirlwind tour of American sleep habitsthat's sure to make you laugh, cry,
and maybe even snore a little,whether you're cuddling up with your pet,
listening to pink noise, or justtrying to avoid your partner's snoring.
One thing's for sure, Americans suredo have some interesting sleep preferences. But

(05:53):
all joking aside, getting a goodnight's sleep is crucial for our health and
well being. So whether you're afan of weighted blankets or just like to
keep things simple with a high qualitymattress, make sure you're prioritizing your sleep.
Your mind and body will thank you. So what about sleep deprivation where

(06:15):
Americans are snoozing less and yawning more. If you're one of those folks who
find themselves nodding off at their desk, you're not alone. It turns out
that the number of working Americans whoget less than seven hours of shut eye
each night is on the rise,and it's not just affecting the average joe.
Buckle up, because the people wedepend on most for our health and

(06:38):
safety are the ones getting hit thehardest. That's right. Police officers,
healthcare workers, and even those bravesouls who keep our roads running smoothly like
truck drivers, are all struggling tocatch enough zeors. A group of super
sleuth researchers from Ball State University inMunsey, Indiana, decided to investigate this

(06:59):
snow newsy situation. They analyzed datafrom the National Health Interview Survey, where
one hundred and fifty thousand adults spilledthe beans about their sleep habits, and
boy, did they uncover some eyeopening or should we say, eye closing
results. It turns out that thenumber of people getting less than seven hours

(07:21):
of sleep each night jumped from thirtypoint nine percent in twenty ten to a
whopping thirty five point six percent intwenty eighteen. But wait, it gets
worse. Around half of the policeofficers and healthcare workers surveyed reported getting only

(07:42):
six or even a measly five hoursof sleep each night. Yikes. Now
you might be wondering what's causing thissleep deprived epidemic. Well Professor Jagdish Kubchan
Dani, the mastermind behind this study, has a hunch that stretch might be
the culprit. And let's face it, stress is like that annoying friend who

(08:03):
just won't leave Americans alone. Takepolice officers, for example. Detective Lieutenant
John Foster, a veteran of theBall State University Police Department, knows all
too well how work related stress canhaunt you like a bad dream. He
says, I don't think there isany way for me to forget some of

(08:24):
the things that I have seen,from suicides to emotional interactions with crime victims.
These experiences can replay in an officer'smind like a broken record, making
it nearly impossible to drift off todreamland. Healthcare workers are no strangers to
stress either. Dealing with life ordeath situations and severe illnesses day in and

(08:46):
day out can make it tough tolet go of work pressures at night.
In fact, forty five percent ofthese medical marvels reported getting less than seven
hours of sleep. It's like they'realways on call, even when they're supposed
to be catching some z's. Butit's not just these high stress professions that
are suffering. Americans in general havebeen losing sleep since the mid nineteen eighties.

(09:11):
It's like we're all participating in somesort of twisted sleep deprived reality show.
So what's the magic number? Whenit comes to sleep? Experts say
that most people need between seven andnine hours of shut eye each night.
Anything less than that and you mightfind yourself at risk for some serious health

(09:31):
problems like obesity, heart disease,stroke, diabetes, and even mental health
issues like anxiety and unstable moods.Talk about a rude awakening. But fear
not, my sleep deprived friends.There are ways to combat this snoozy situation.
Professor Kupchandani suggests that people can makesome lifestyle changes to help them catch

(09:56):
more z's, like eating a healthydiet, exercising, and even trying out
some meditation. Employers can also lenda helping hand by offering education programs to
teach their workers how to deal withstress. And if you're one of those
folks who just can't seem to shutoff their brain at night, don't worry.

(10:18):
Clinical psychologist Todd Arnot from the Universityof Michigan has got your back.
He says that cognitive behavioral therapy canwork wonders for people with insomnia, helping
them develop routines and behaviors to driftoff to dreamland and stay there. But

(10:39):
for the average worry what Arnet's gota simple solution. Take some time to
wind down before bedtime, dim thelights, ditch the electronics, and engage
in some quiet, relaxing activities,maybe even try some mindfulness meditation to calm
that racing mind. Detective Foster hastaken this advice to heart, and now

(11:01):
he's sleeping like a baby, wella very large, adult sized baby.
He makes sure to get plenty ofexercise, eat a plant based diet,
limit his caffeine intake, and steerclear of those pesky blue lights from electronics
before bedtime. And guess what,most nights he's getting a solid seven hours

(11:24):
of sleep, and on a goodnight he might even score eight and a
half. So there you have it, folks, The sleep deprivation struggle is
real, but there's hope on thehorizon. With a few lifestyle changes,
a little help from our employers,and maybe even some professional intervention, we
can all start catching those elusive z'sand waking up feeling refreshed and ready to

(11:48):
take on the world. Sweet dreams, everyone,
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