Americans aren't sleeping enough. Here's what could help

Elenathewise/iStockphoto/ Adults should be getting at least seven hours of sleep each night, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine . "Below that, there's clear evidence that you're going to feel lethargic during the day," says James Rowley , a pulmonologist and the program director of the Sleep Medicine Fellowship at Rush University Medical Center, as well as a past president of the AASM board of directors. Rowley also says not getting enough sleep is linked with cardiometabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity, as well as cardiovascular problems. But many in the U.S. are not sleeping enough. A new data brief, published this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), finds that 30.5% of U.S. adults surveyed in 2024 are getting less than the recommended amount. The results have not changed much since 2020, when CDC researchers found that just under 30% of U.S. women and men were sleeping less than seven hours a night. Some people are working multiple jobs or shifts that cut into their sleeping time. But others are just doomscrolling, says Rowley, who was not involved in the paper. "Many patients tell me they go to bed with their cellphone, laptop or tablet," he says. "Patients tell me they see one YouTube video and before they know, it's an hour later." Some people are gaming, and others are watching TV late into the night. For many, that time could be better spent sleeping — an activity in which the brain repairs and restores itself. …