Just as time and money are valuable commodities for most people–and often in short supply–sleep can be a particularly scarce one for many. According to a study published in the October 30 edition of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, approximately 28% of U.S. adults do not get enough rest or sleep for at least 14 out of the 30 days in a month.
The data for the report originate from the 2008 BRFSS (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System), which involved a random-digit-dialed telephone survey of 403,981 U.S. adults (ages 18 or older) inquiring about their self-perceptions of restfulness or sleeplessness. One question asked, “During the past 30 days, for about how many days have you felt you did not get enough rest or sleep?” About 11.1% of respondents had insufficient rest or sleep for the entire month. This contrasts from the 30.7% who had no days of insufficient rest or sleep.
Where are the sleepiest people in the United States?
The sleepiest states include those with the highest percentage of respondents who reported 30 days of sleep deprivation for the last month. For those states where the percentages were equivalent, I further stratified them according to the percentage of respondents who reported sleeplessness for 14-29 days of the preceding month. Without further ado, here are the sleepiest states …
- West Virginia (19.3%)
- Tennessee (14.8%)
- Kentucky (14.4%)
- Oklahoma (14.3%)
- Puerto Rico (14.0%)
- Florida (13.5%)
- Missouri (13.4%)
- Georgia (13.4%)
- Alabama (13.2%)
- Mississippi (13.1%)
- North Carolina (13.0%)
- Louisiana (13.0%)
- New Jersey (12.8%)
- Arkansas (12.3%)
- South Carolina (12.0%)
- Delaware (11.9%)
- Massachusetts (11.8%)
- Texas (11.8%)
- South Dakota (11.5%)
- Arizona (11.5%)
- Ohio (11.4%)
- Indiana (11.4%)
- Guam (11.4%)
- Pennsylvania (11.3%)
- Nevada (11.1%)
- Maine (11.1%)
- Iowa (11.1%)
- Rhode Island (10.9%)
- New York (10.8%)
- Michigan (10.8%)
- Kansas (10.8%)
- New Mexico (10.6%)
- Connecticut (10.4%)
- Maryland (10.1%)
- Wyoming (10.1%)
- Minnesota (10.0%)
- Montana (9.9%)
- Virginia (9.9%)
- Washington (9.9%)
- New Hampshire (9.9%)
- Illinois (9.8%)
- Hawaii (9.8%)
- Vermont (9.7%)
- U.S. Virgin Islands (9.6%)
- Alaska (9.4%)
- Utah (9.2%)
- Colorado (9.2%)
- Nebraska (9.0%)
- Idaho (8.9%)
- Oregon (8.8%)
- Wisconsin (8.6%)
- District of Columbia (8.5%)
- California (8.0%)
- North Dakota (7.4%)
Interestingly, the most rested states (according to the percentage of respondents who reported 0 days of insufficient sleep) were the island state or territories: Puerto Rico (50.7%), Guam (46.1%), Hawaii (35.6%), and the U.S. Virgin Islands (35.5%).
Several demographic characteristics were associated with lack of sleep or rest (numbers in parentheses are percentages of those who reported lack of sleep or rest for the past 30 days):
- Age – 25-34 year olds (13.8%) versus > 65 year olds (7.4%);
- Race – Non-Hispanic Blacks (13.3%) versus non-Hispanic Whites (11.2%);
- Gender – Females (12.4%) versus males (9.9%);
- Work – Inability to work (25.8%), unemployed (13.9%) versus employed (9.9%), retired (9.5%);
- Education – no high school education or GED (14.3%) versus college-educated (9.6%);
- Marital status – divorced, widowed, or separated (16.0%) versus married (11.1%), never married (10.6%)
The report does not stratify the sleep deprivation data according to types of professions. It would, however, not be surprising to find doctors, especially those in training, to constitute a largely sleepy population. It seems the work of a physician is never done. There are endless demands from inpatient and outpatient clinical responsibilities, research activities, administrative duties, and non-academic/professional priorities. While I love what I do and feel fortunate to have these bountiful opportunities, the demands easily encroach on my sleep time. Time for a nap.
