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Explore national- and state-level data for hundreds of health, environmental and socioeconomic measures, including background information about each measure. Use features on this page to find measures; view subpopulations, trends and rankings; and download and share content.
United States Value:
Percentage of women ages 18-44 who reported sleeping, on average, less than seven hours in a 24-hour period
Percentage of women ages 18-44 who reported sleeping, on average, less than seven hours in a 24-hour period
28.5% - 33.4%
33.5% - 35.4%
35.5% - 36.8%
36.9% - 39.3%
39.4% - 42.7%
US Value: 36.5 %
Top State(s): Vermont: 28.5 %
Bottom State(s): Hawaii: 42.7 %
Definition: Percentage of women ages 18-44 who reported sleeping, on average, less than seven hours in a 24-hour period
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2022
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2026.
Insufficient sleep is a public health challenge. Sleep is critical for basic functions such as cognitive processing, mood regulation, blood sugar level and immune system response. Insufficient sleep is a risk factor for many chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Insufficient sleep is also associated with reduced productivity and quality of life and increased symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, industrial accidents and medical errors. Drowsy driving caused 693 deaths in the United States in 2022 — 1.6% of all motor vehicle fatalities that year. Research indicates that shift work can decrease sleep quality, increasing the risk of developing chronic sleep problems or sleep disorders. A 2016 report by the Rand Corporation estimates that insufficient sleep costs the U.S. $411 billion each year in missed work days and reduced productivity.
Women experience a higher prevalence of insomnia compared to men. Significant biological events, such as menstruation and pregnancy, can impact a woman's hormones and body, leading to disrupted sleep and changes in sleep quality.
It is common to have trouble sleeping during pregnancy due to pressure on the diaphragm, increased urinary frequency, restless legs syndrome and a growing belly. Women who get insufficient sleep during pregnancy are at increased risk of complications, including high blood pressure (preeclampsia), gestational diabetes, longer labor time and higher rates of cesarean section.
According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of insufficient sleep is higher among:
The National Institutes of Health recommends that adults sleep seven to eight hours nightly. Habits that help build and maintain a healthy sleep cycle include following a consistent sleep schedule, restricting the use of electronic devices before bedtime and limiting the consumption of caffeine, alcohol and nicotine products, as they can interfere with sleep. Engaging in aerobic exercise has been found to improve sleep quality, provided it isn’t done too close to bedtime.
While taking naps may boost alertness, individuals who have difficulty falling asleep at night should take their naps earlier in the day and limit them to 20 minutes or less at a time.
Policy solutions to address insufficient sleep in the United States are limited; however, some industries have worked to mitigate the hazards of inadequate sleep. For example, in 2011, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education limited the number of consecutive hours that first-year medical residents can be required to work, increasing safety for both employees and patients.
Healthy People 2030 has several sleep-related objectives, including increasing the proportion of adults who get sufficient sleep and reducing the rate of motor vehicle crashes due to drowsy driving.
Hale, Lauren, Wendy Troxel, and Daniel J. Buysse. “Sleep Health: An Opportunity for Public Health to Address Health Equity.” Annual Review of Public Health 41, no. 1 (April 2, 2020): 81–99. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094412.
Jackson, Chandra L., Susan Redline, and Karen M. Emmons. “Sleep as a Potential Fundamental Contributor to Disparities in Cardiovascular Health.” Annual Review of Public Health 36 (March 18, 2015): 417–40. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031914-122838.
Liu, Yong, Anne G. Wheaton, Daniel P. Chapman, Timothy J. Cunningham, Hua Lu, and Janet B. Croft. “Prevalence of Healthy Sleep Duration among Adults — United States, 2014.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 65, no. 6 (February 19, 2016): 137–41. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6506a1.
Medic, Goran, Micheline Wille, and Michiel E. H. Hemels. “Short- and Long-Term Health Consequences of Sleep Disruption.” Nature and Science of Sleep 2017, no. 9 (May 19, 2017): 151–61. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S134864.
National Center for Statistics and Analysis. Overview of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes in 2022. Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, June 2024. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813560.
Nowakowski, Sara, Jessica Meers, and Erin Heimbach. “Sleep and Women’s Health.” Sleep Medicine Research 4, no. 1 (June 30, 2013): 1–22. https://doi.org/10.17241/smr.2013.4.1.1.
Reinganum, Michael I., and Janelle Thomas. “Shift Work Hazards.” In StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK589670/.
Sullivan, Kelly, and Collins Ordiah. “Association of Mildly Insufficient Sleep with Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression.” Neurology, Psychiatry and Brain Research 30 (December 2018): 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.npbr.2018.03.001.
Weaver, Matthew D., Christopher P. Landrigan, Jason P. Sullivan, Conor S. O’Brien, Salim Qadri, Natalie Viyaran, Wei Wang, Céline Vetter, Charles A. Czeisler, and Laura K. Barger. “The Association Between Resident Physician Work-Hour Regulations and Physician Safety and Health.” The American Journal of Medicine 133, no. 7 (July 2020): e343–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.12.053.
Zeng, Liang-Nan, Qian-Qian Zong, Yuan Yang, Ling Zhang, Yi-Fan Xiang, Chee H. Ng, Li-Gang Chen, and Yu-Tao Xiang. “Gender Difference in the Prevalence of Insomnia: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.” Frontiers in Psychiatry 11 (November 20, 2020): 577429.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.577429.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.
