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Illinois Value:
Percentage of adults age 65 and older who reported sleeping, on average, fewer than seven hours in a 24-hour period
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Percentage of adults age 65 and older who reported sleeping, on average, fewer than seven hours in a 24-hour period
US Value: 28.1%
Top State(s): South Dakota: 17.4%
Bottom State(s): Hawaii: 42.8%
Definition: Percentage of adults age 65 and older who reported sleeping, on average, fewer than seven hours in a 24-hour period
Data Source and Years(s): CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2022
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2024.
More than a third of adults in the United States do not get enough sleep regularly. Sleep is critical for basic functions such as cognitive processing, mood regulation, blood sugar level and immune system response. Insufficient sleep is recognized as a threat to public health and is linked to a bevy of chronic diseases, including cancer, depression, diabetes, hypertension, obesity and Alzheimer’s disease.
Sleep is equally important for the physical and emotional health of older adults as it is for younger individuals; however, it may be harder for older adults to achieve sufficient sleep. Older adults are more prone to insomnia and sleep apnea, which can drastically reduce sleep quality. Additionally, sleep disturbances are more common among those who use medications for chronic conditions, a circumstance that becomes more likely with age.
According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of insufficient sleep is higher among:
The National Institute of Health recommends that adults sleep seven to eight hours nightly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers tips for better sleep, including going to bed at the same time each night and removing electronic devices from the bedroom.
Solutions specific to older adults should include a comprehensive examination of contributing factors to sleep deficiency that may be treatable. These factors include but are not limited to primary sleep disorders, acute and chronic medical conditions, behavioral and psychological stressors, environmental triggers and medications.
It is important to have conversations with your primary care doctor about your sleep problems if these issues are affecting your mental health and overall well-being. Symptoms of a sleep disorder may include:
Healthy People 2030 has a goal to increase the proportion of adults who get sufficient sleep.
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.
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.
Miner, Brienne, and Meir H. Kryger. “Sleep in the Aging Population.” Sleep Medicine Clinics 12, no. 1 (March 2017): 31–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsmc.2016.10.008.
Mohit, Babak, and Emerson M. Wickwire. “The Health Economics of Sleep Disorders Among Older Adults.” Current Sleep Medicine Reports 6, no. 1 (March 2020): 21–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40675-020-00166-y.
Suzuki, Keisuke, Masayuki Miyamoto, and Koichi Hirata. “Sleep Disorders in the Elderly: Diagnosis and Management.” Journal of General and Family Medicine 18, no. 2 (April 2017): 61–71. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgf2.27.
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.