06/22/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/21/2022 22:18
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommend adults sleep at least 7 hours a night (1); over one-quarter of adults do not meet this recommendation (2). Signs of good sleep quality include taking less time to fall asleep and not waking up often or for long periods (3). This report uses 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data to describe the prevalence of sleep difficulties, defined here as trouble falling or staying asleep most days or every day in the past 30 days, among adults in the United States by sociodemographic and geographic characteristics.
Keywords: sleep quality, insomnia, sleep complaints, National Health Interview Survey
What percentage of adults had trouble falling asleep most days or every day in the past 30 days, and were there differences by demographic characteristics?
Figure 1. Percentage of adults aged 18 and over who had trouble falling asleep most days or every day in the past 30 days, by age, sex, and race and Hispanic origin: United States, 2020
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1Significant linear trend by age (p < 0.05).
2Significantly different from men (p < 0.05).
3Significantly different from non-Hispanic Asian adults (p < 0.05).
NOTES: Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population. Access data table for Figure 1 .
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2020.
Were there differences in the percentage of adults who had trouble falling asleep by socioeconomic status and urbanization level?
Figure 2. Percentage of adults aged 18 and over who had trouble falling asleep most days or every day in the past 30 days, by family income, education, and urbanization level: United States, 2020
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1Significant linear trend by family income (p < 0.05).
2Significant quadratic trend by education (p < 0.05).
3Significant linear trend by urbanization level (p < 0.05).
NOTES: FPL is federal poverty level. Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population. Access data table for Figure 2 .
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2020.
Were there differences in the percentage of adults who had trouble staying asleep by sex, age, and race and Hispanic origin?
Figure 3. Percentage of adults aged 18 and over who had trouble staying asleep most days or every day in the past 30 days, by age, sex, and race and Hispanic origin: United States, 2020
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1Significant quadratic trend by age (p < 0.05).
2Significantly different from men (p < 0.05).
3Significantly different from Hispanic adults (p < 0.05).
4Significantly different from non-Hispanic Black adults (p < 0.05).
5Significantly different from non-Hispanic Asian adults (p < 0.05).
NOTES: Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population. Access data table for Figure 3 .
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2020.
Were there differences in the percentage of adults who had trouble staying asleep by socioeconomic status and urbanization level?
Figure 4. Percentage of adults aged 18 and over who had trouble staying asleep most days or every day in the past 30 days, by family income, education, and urbanization level: United States, 2020
[Link]
1Significant linear trend by family income (p < 0.05).
2Significant quadratic trend by education (p < 0.05).
3Significant linear trend by urbanization level (p < 0.05).
NOTES: FPL is federal poverty level. Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population. Access data table for Figure 4 .
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2020.
Summary
This report describes sleep difficulties in U.S. adults using data from the 2020 NHIS. Overall, 14.5% of adults had trouble falling asleep and 17.8% of adults had trouble staying asleep. With increasing age, adults were less likely to have trouble falling asleep but more likely to have trouble staying asleep. Women were more likely than men to have trouble both falling and staying asleep. Sleep difficulties varied by race and ethnicity, with non-Hispanic Asian adults having less trouble falling and staying asleep and non-Hispanic White adults having more trouble staying asleep. In addition, similar patterns for both falling asleep and staying asleep were seen by family income as well as urbanization level. Sleep difficulties decreased as income and urbanization level increased. Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher also had less trouble falling and staying asleep, though patterns by educational attainment varied by sleep difficulty.
Although previous research has noted disparities in sleep duration among demographic subgroups (4,5), sleep quality has received less attention and findings on sleep difficulties have not always been consistent (6). Detailing patterns of poor sleep quality among subgroups may inform future research on improvements in sleep health.
Definitions
Family income as a percentage of FPL: Based on the federal poverty level, which was calculated from the family's income in the previous calendar year and family size using the U.S. Census Bureau's poverty thresholds (7). Family income was imputed when missing (8).
Race and Hispanic origin: Adults categorized as Hispanic may be of any race or combination of races. Adults categorized as non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, or non-Hispanic Asian indicated one race only. Estimates for non-Hispanic adults of other races are not shown.
Trouble falling asleep: Based on a response of "most days" or "every day" to the question, "During the past 30 days, how often did you have trouble falling asleep?"
Trouble staying asleep: Based on a response of "most days" or "every day" to the question, "During the past 30 days, how often did you have trouble staying asleep?"
Urbanization level: Counties were classified according to their metropolitan status using the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Urban-Rural Classification Scheme (9). Urban counties include large central counties (inner cities); the fringes of large counties (suburbs); and medium and small counties. Rural counties include micropolitan statistical areas and noncore areas, including open countryside, rural towns (populations of less than 2,500), and areas with populations of 2,500-49,999 that are not part of larger labor market areas (urban areas).
Data source and methods
NHIS is a nationally representative household survey of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population. It is conducted continuously throughout the year by NCHS. Interviews are typically conducted in respondents' homes, but follow-ups to complete interviews may be conducted over the telephone. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, data collection procedures in 2020 were disrupted. From April through June all interviews were conducted by telephone only, and from July through December interviews were attempted by telephone first with follow-ups to complete interviews by personal visit. For more information about NHIS, visit https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm.
Point estimates and the corresponding confidence intervals for this analysis were calculated using SAS-callable SUDAAN software (10) to account for the complex sample design of NHIS. All estimates are based on self-report and meet NCHS data presentation standards for proportions (11). Differences between percentages were evaluated using two-sided significance tests at the 0.05 level. Linear and quadratic trends by age group, family income, education, and place of residence were evaluated using Proc Descript, poly option.
About the authors
Dzifa Adjaye-Gbewonyo, Amanda E. Ng, and Lindsey I. Black are with NCHS' Division of Health Interview Statistics.
References
Suggested citation
Adjaye-Gbewonyo D, Ng AE, Black LI. Sleep difficulties in adults: United States, 2020. NCHS Data Brief, no 436. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2022. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:117489 .
Copyright information
All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.
National Center for Health Statistics
Brian C. Moyer, Ph.D., Director
Amy M. Branum, Ph.D., Associate Director for Science
Division of Health Interview Statistics
Stephen J. Blumberg, Ph.D., Director
Anjel Vahratian, Ph.D., M.P.H., Associate Director for Science