Where you live might influence how well you sleep at night, and a recent study from Innerbody highlights this fact. It seems some areas in the United States face more sleep deprivation than others.
This research utilized data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) along with various indicators from the 100 most populated cities in the U.S. Each city was assessed based on sleep duration and quality.
Researchers examined five factors that could impact sleep quality: physical activity, obesity, alcohol use, mental distress, and environmental elements like noise and light pollution.
The study identified the ten most sleep-deprived cities as follows:
- Norfolk, Virginia
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Detroit, Michigan
- Toledo, Ohio
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Laredo, Texas
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Memphis, Tennessee
Interestingly, many of these cities are in the eastern part of the country, with Ohio appearing several times.
While these locations were generally ranked for sleep deprivation, Honolulu, Hawaii stood out with the highest percentage of adults—42.3%—reporting less than seven hours of sleep each night. Following closely were Norfolk, New Orleans, and Detroit.
In terms of sleep quality, Memphis was noted as having the poorest sleep, followed by New Orleans, Norfolk, Cincinnati, and Corpus Christi.
The study also uncovered other cities struggling with sleep deprivation:
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Seattle, Washington
- San Jose, California
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Boise, Idaho
- St. Paul, Minnesota
- Denver, Colorado
- Lincoln, Nebraska
- Oakland, California
- San Francisco, California
Researchers noted that cooler temperatures in several of these areas might actually enhance sleep quality.
Sleep expert Dr. Wendy Troxel, a senior behavioral scientist from Land Corporation in Utah, shared insights with Fox News Digital, stating her own research supports the idea that location impacts sleep. She mentioned, “It’s often said that your zip code can affect your health as much as your genetic code,” emphasizing that this holds true for sleep health as well.
In a study she published in the Journal Sleep Health, Troxel argued for a broader approach to improving sleep health. This involves looking beyond individual concerns and considering investment in neighborhood enhancements that could boost sleep quality and overall community health.
She added that improving neighborhood conditions could help address attached health issues, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke, noting significant potential benefits.
