sleep deprivation – Misryoum reports a new health assessment finds many U.S. adults are under-sleeping, with group differences in feeling well-rested.
A growing share of U.S. adults are waking up already drained, and Misryoum highlights what a new health assessment suggests about the scale of the problem.
In 2024, when the data were collected, nearly a third of U.S.. adults reported sleeping less than the commonly recommended seven hours per night on average.. At the same time, only a little more than half said they woke up feeling well-rested on most days.. Misryoum notes the findings matter because sleep is not just downtime. but a core behavior that supports how the body regulates key processes.
Sleep influences cardiovascular health, hormone balance, blood sugar control, and is also linked to cognitive well-being.. It can affect mood and mental health as well. which means that chronic under-sleeping may ripple beyond how tired people feel day to day.. Misryoum’s takeaway: when rest becomes unreliable at the population level, public health risks can compound.
Misryoum reports notable differences across groups.. Around 40% of Black adults reported getting fewer than seven hours on average and were less likely than many comparison groups to say they felt well-rested on most days.. Asian adults were the most likely to report feeling well-rested. while reporting patterns also varied by sex: men and women showed similar rates of undersleeping. but men more often reported waking up well-rested.
In this context, the report also points to challenges that may be shaped by age and daily routines.. Adults 65 and older reported feeling well-rested at least most days more frequently than younger adults.. Meanwhile, Misryoum notes that adults aged 18 to 34 reported the greatest difficulty falling asleep compared with other age groups.. The data also suggest that women were more likely than men to report trouble falling asleep.
While numbers can feel distant, the real impact shows up in health behaviors, workplace performance, and stress levels. Misryoum emphasizes that sleep issues are common, but they are not inevitable, and understanding who is most affected can help communities target practical support.
For people struggling to fall asleep. sleep-focused guidance often centers on behavior changes such as getting out of bed to do something calming. avoiding phone scrolling and late-night snacking. and seeking medical help if the problem persists.. Misryoum adds that when sleep problems are persistent, clinicians can help distinguish between temporary disruptions and underlying conditions.
In the end, Misryoum’s message is clear: improving sleep is a public health lever as much as it is a personal habit. When a large share of adults report being chronically tired, it becomes a problem worth treating with the same seriousness as other everyday determinants of health.