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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Getting enough sleep is important for people of all ages to stay in good health. Learn how much sleep you need.
People often cut back on their sleep for work, for family demands, or even to watch a good show on television. But if not getting enough sleep is a regular part of your routine, you may be at an increased risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, poor mental health, and even early death.

Even one night of short sleep can affect you the next day. Not only are you more likely to feel sleepy, you're more likely to be in a bad mood, be less productive at work, and be involved in a motor vehicle crash.

How Much Sleep Do I Need?

How much sleep you need changes as you age. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommend:

Age Group

Age

Recommended Hours of Sleep 1,2

Habits to Improve Your Sleep

Be consistent. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends.

Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature.

Remove electronic devices such as TVs, computers, and phones from the bedroom.

Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime.

Don't use tobacco.

Get some exercise. Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.

What About Sleep Quality?

Getting enough sleep is important, but good sleep quality is also essential. Signs of poor sleep quality include feeling sleepy or tired even after getting enough sleep, repeatedly waking up during the night, and having symptoms of a sleep disorder (such as snoring or gasping for air). Better sleep habits may improve the quality of your sleep. If you have symptoms of a sleep disorder, such as snoring or being very sleepy during the day after a full night's sleep, make sure to tell your doctor.

The amount of sleep you need changes as you age. Children need more sleep than adults.

1. Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D'Ambrosio C, Hall WA, Kotagal S, Lloyd RM, et al. Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: a consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(6):785-786. https://aasm.org/resources/pdf/pediatricsleepdurationconsensus.pdf [PDF - 221KB]

2. Watson NF, Badr MS, Belenky G, Bliwise DL, Buxton OM, Buysse D, et al. Recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: a joint consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Sleep 2015;38(6):843-844. https://aasm.org/resources/pdf/pressroom/adult-sleep-duration-consensus.pdf [PDF - 250KB]

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Getting enough sleep is important for people of all ages to stay in good health. How much sleep you need changes as you age.

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Interview with Dr. Matt Walker

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Sleep Is Non-Negotiable: Dr. Matthew Walker | Rich Roll Podcast

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Sleep plays an integral role in health. A good night's sleep empowers the body to recover and lets you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day.

Unfortunately, many people have sleep problems and don't get the rest that they need. Insufficient sleep and poor quality sleep can be due to diverse factors including sleep disorders, medical conditions, and mental health. Sleep issues affect people of all ages, and its impacts can be far-reaching.

While sleep is too complex to sum up with only numbers, reviewing basic facts and figures about sleep can help you understand how sleep works, why it's important, and the depth of the sleep deprivation problem in the United States.

Statistics About How We Sleep

📝 Got a hot tip? Pitch us your story idea, share your expertise with SleepFoundation.org, or let us know about your sleep experiences right here.

Statistics About Insufficient Sleep

Almost half of all Americans⁸ say they feel sleepy during the day between three and seven days per week.

35.2% of all adults in the U.S.report sleeping on average for less than seven hours per night.

At 43%, Hawaii has the highest percentage of adults who get seven or fewer hours of sleep per night. South Dakota, at 26%, has the lowest percentage.

Of major cities in the United States, Boulder, Colorado has the lowest percentage of adults who sleep less than seven hours per night, coming in at 24.2%. Camden, New Jersey and Detroit, Michigan tie for the highest rate, with 49.8% of adults in those cities reporting short sleep.

When compared to whites, black adults are almost twice as likely to describe sleeping too little and are 60% more likely to report sleeping too much.

After adjusting for age, insufficient sleep by race and ethnicity shows clear differences with 46.3% of Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, 45.8% of black people, 40.4% of American Indians/Alaska Natives, 37.5% of Asians, 34.5% of Hispanics, and 33.4% of whites reporting getting less than seven hours of sleep.

42.6% of single parents sleep less than seven hours per night compared to 32.7% of adults in two-parent homes and 31% of adults with no children.

32.6% of working adults reported sleeping six or fewer hours per night in 2017-2018, up from 28.4% in 2008-2009.

More than 44% of workers in production-focused industries, such as factory workers and plant operators, report getting seven hours of sleep or less per night.

Active duty service members are 34% more likely to report insufficient sleep than people with no history of military service.

Statistics About Sleep Disorders

People may apply up to 250 pounds of force when grinding their teeth during sleep.

Statistics About Sleep Disruptions

Statistics About Sleep in Children and Teens

Statistics About the Impact of Insufficient Sleep

Statistics About Sleep and Mental Health

Statistics About Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene is a term that includes both the bedroom environment and sleep-related habits. Optimizing sleep hygiene can play an important role in addressing sleep insufficiency.

93% of people⁵⁷ say that a comfortable mattress is important to being able to get quality sleep.

Statistics About Sleep Aids

+69 Sources

National Sleep Foundation. (2020, March 7). The National Sleep Foundation's 2020 Sleep in America® Poll Shows Alarming Level of Sleepiness and Low Levels of Action. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from

National Sleep Foundation. (2012, April 1). There's No Place Like Home for Sleep According to New National Bedroom Poll. Retrieved October 8, 2020, from

National Sleep Foundation. (2012, April 1). Bedroom Poll: Summary of Findings. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from

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Sleep plays an integral role in health. A good night's sleep empowers the body to recover and lets you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day. Unfortunately, many people have sleep problems and don't get the rest that they need.

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How much sleep should you get? | What is a sleep disorder? | How common are sleep disorders? | Sleep stats by sex | Sleep stats by age | Sleep aid statistics | Sleep and overall health | Costs | Causes of sleep disorders | Treatment | FAQs | Research

Getting a good night's sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health. During sleep, the body can rest and recover for a new day. Not getting enough sleep because of a sleep disorder can negatively impact your health, happiness, and longevity. Let's take a look at some recent sleep statistics to better understand sleep disorders and how they affect overall health.

How much sleep should you get?

Not getting enough sleep can be bad for your physical and mental health and cause some unwelcome symptoms. Not meeting your sleep needs can cause a lack of energy, trouble remembering things, a reduced attention span, slowed thinking, a reduced sex drive, poor decision making, irritability, daytime sleepiness, and other mood changes.

What is a sleep disorder?

A healthcare professional can diagnose someone with a sleep disorder if they have certain symptoms such as difficulty sleeping at night and excessive sleepiness in the daytime. "After a thorough clinical evaluation by your physician, which typically involves a detailed history of presenting complaints, sleep logs, and possibly sleep studies, the diagnosis can be generally obtained," says Dr. Singh. There are seven categories of sleep disorders listed in the Third Edition of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders:

1. Insomnia, especially chronic insomnia.

2. Sleep-related breathing disorders, such as snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.

3. Central disorders of hypersomnolence, such as narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia.

4. Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, including jet lag and delayed sleep-wake phase disorder.

5. Parasomnias, such as sleepwalking, rapid eye movement (REM) behavior disorder, and sleep paralysis.

6. Sleep-related movement disorders, like restless leg syndrome.

7. Other sleep disorders.

How common are sleep disorders?

30% of survey respondents have been reportedly diagnosed with a sleep disorder (SingleCare, 2021).

50 to 70 million adults in the U.S. are affected by a sleep disorder (American Sleep Association [ASA], 2021).

25 million adults in the U.S. have obstructive sleep apnea (ASA, 2021).

Sleep statistics worldwide

More than 20% of the general adult population in the U.S. and Canada have reported experiencing insomnia (Sleep Research Society, 2012).

62% of adults around the world say they don't sleep as well as they'd like (Philips Global Sleep Survey, 2019).

As many as 67% of adults report sleep disturbances at least once every night (Philips Global Sleep Survey, 2019).

8 in 10 adults around the world want to improve their sleep but 60% have not sought help from a medical professional (Philips Global Sleep Survey, 2019).

44% of adults around the world say that the quality of their sleep has gotten worse over the past five years (Philips Global Sleep Survey, 2019).

National sleep statistics

70 million Americans have chronic sleep problems (CDC, 2017).

1 in 3 U.S. adults regularly don't get enough sleep (CDC, 2016).

Insufficient sleep is experienced by about 30% of the general population that's over the age of 18 (CDC, 2018).

48% of Americans report snoring during the night (ASA, 2021).

88% of American adults reportedly lose sleep due to binge-watching (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2019).

Sleep statistics by sex

Men and women each have their fair share of sleeping problems. In fact, one sleep survey found that 30% of respondents reported that they would like to file for a "sleep divorce" (in other words, sleep separately from their partner).

Between 9% and 21% of women have obstructive sleep apnea (ASA, 2021).

Between 24% and 31% of men have obstructive sleep apnea (ASA, 2021).

About 46% of women report having sleeping problems almost every night (National Sleep Foundation, 2007).

The sleep disorder restless leg syndrome is more common among women than among men (MedlinePlus, 2019).

About 57% of men and 40% of women in America snore (Merck Manual, 2020).

Sleep statistics by age

37% of adults between the ages of 20 and 39 report short sleep duration (ASA, 2021).

40% of adults between the ages of 40 and 59 report short sleep duration (ASA, 2021).

Almost three-quarters of high school students aren't getting enough sleep (CDC, 2015).

Sleep aid statistics

One found that about 20% of adults have tried a natural sleep remedy within the last year. Melatonin is a popular insomnia remedy, but it's not well-known how effective melatonin is for sleep. Only 5% to 10% of people may feel sleepy after taking melatonin, and 24% reportedly experience drowsiness or fogginess the day after taking it, according to Consumer Reports. When natural remedies aren't helpful, some people turn to over-the-counter medicine, prescription drugs, or other substances that cause sleepiness. In a 2021 sleep survey, Consumer Reports survey SingleCare found the following sleep aid statistics:

20% took natural vitamins and supplements (like melatonin or magnesium)

10% took over-the-counter pain relievers (Tylenol PM or ZzzQuil for example)

9% used marijuana

8% used over-the-counter sleep aids (such as Unisom)

7% used antihistamines that cause drowsiness (like Benadryl)

7% used prescription sleep aids (including Lunesta, Ambien, Restoril, etc.)

6% drank alcohol

5% used CBD oil

3% reported using other substances for sleep

56% reported none of the above

RELATED: A guide to sleep aids: What are your options?
Sleep and overall health

Consistently getting a good night's sleep is correlated with better overall health and a higher quality of life. "Current sleep research has shown that sleep may be associated with memory consolidation and emotional regulation and a lack of sleep may adversely impact these," Dr. Singh says. "Improving sleep has shown to increase performance, cognition, and even help regulate appetite and weight."

People who sleep less than seven hours per night are more likely to develop obesity than those who sleep more (BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 2018).

The risk of diabetes increases with too little sleep (less than seven hours) and too much sleep (more than nine hours). (Harvard School of Public Health, 2021).

The cost of sleeping problems

Each year, about 100,000 deaths occur in U.S. hospitals due to medical errors. Sleep deprivation has been shown to be a significant contributor to this (ASA, 2021).

An in-center sleep study ranges from $500 to $3,000. In-home sleep tests typically cost $300 to $600 (Advanced Sleep Medicine Services, Inc.).

Insomnia treatment costs upward of $1,500 per year, which includes a generic sleeping pill and behavioral therapy (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2011).

Causes of sleep disorders

Sleep disorders can be complex to understand because they can be caused by multiple factors. According to Dr. Singh, there are four potential causes of sleep disorders:

1. Genetic risk factors: Having a family history of similar disorders may leave you with an increased risk of having a sleep disorder.

2. Anatomy: Having narrow oral-nasal passages, a large neck circumference, and jaw shape and size can all affect how you sleep. Anatomy is seen as a risk factor for sleep-disordered breathing such as sleep apnea. A common risk factor is increased body weight.

3. Extrinsic factors: Having poor lifestyle habits, anxiety, stress, consuming alcohol or tobacco close to bedtime, and excessive LED exposure in the evening hours before bed (phones, tablets, etc.) can lead to the onset of sleep disorders.

4. Medical conditions and medications: Certain medical conditions can have an adverse impact on sleep and can ultimately lead to sleep disorders. Things like heartburn, diabetes, depression, PTSD, and schizophrenia can keep people up at night.

Treating sleep disorders

Sleep disorders are typically treated with a combination of medical treatments and lifestyle changes. "The body of sleep research is rapidly growing," Dr. Singh explains. "Wearable technology and home testing have increased sleep health awareness. Behavioral techniques, medications, and medical devices are being researched and several have been successfully invented and are used to alleviate several sleep disorders."

Making certain lifestyle changes can also help improve the quality of your sleep and your overall well-being. Reducing stress, avoiding alcohol and caffeine, creating good sleeping habits, and sleeping with a sleep machine are all examples of ways to reduce your sleeplessness at home. The exact lifestyle changes you may need to make will vary based on the specific sleep disorder you have, so it's always a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider before making a major change to your daily routine.

If you have trouble sleeping and are wondering how to fix it, the best thing to do is make an appointment with your healthcare provider. He or she will be able to tell you whether or not you have a sleep disorder and will be able to create a treatment plan for you that fits into your lifestyle.

Sleep questions and answers

What percentage of the population has trouble sleeping?

How much sleep does the average person get at night?

Which age group needs the most sleep?

Infants 0-3 months old need the most sleep. They need about 14 to 17 hours in a 24-hour period.

Do females need more sleep than males?

Is there such a thing as too much sleep?

Getting enough sleep is important, but sleeping too much can be just as bad for your health as being chronically sleep-deprived. Regularly getting too much sleep can increase your risk of getting diabetes, heart disease, depression, obesity, and even strokes.

Sleep research

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How much sleep does the average American get?

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How much sleep should you get? | What is a sleep disorder? | How common are sleep disorders? | Sleep stats by sex | Sleep stats by age | Sleep aid statistics | Sleep and overall health | Costs | Causes of sleep disorders | Treatment | FAQs | Research Getting a good night's sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health.

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Sleep for the brain is like gas for a car. When the tank is full we get where we need to be. But as time goes on, the gauge falls lower and lower until the gas is gone and the car stops. Without the fuel it needs, the car is useless.

Our brains operate in a similar way. The only difference is the brain's fuel is sleep. Without proper sleep, our minds begin to slow, unable to operate at their full potential. This happens until the mind becomes so deprived of the rest it needs, it breaks down. And without the commander-in-chief acting accordingly, the rest of the body pays the price.

In this guide, we are going to deep dive into the complex relationship between sleep and mental health, including how these two aspects of health are inversely related, the consequences of sleep deprivation on the mind, and the link between sleep disorders and mental health disorders.

You ready? We're really about to exercise your mind.

How Sleep Impacts Mental Health
Sleep is the mind's time to rest and recharge. When we get proper sleep, memories, emotions and new information are processed and filed away for our minds to retrieve later on. You know, so you can recall the name of the new coworker that started in your office last week. If you fail to get adequate sleep, well, let's just hope you don't run into that new coworker in the bathroom. Because sleep is the time our mind blocks for mental processing, it makes sense why we would be forgetful when we miss out on a good night's sleep. That's not all. Sleep is also the time emotional processing takes place. This is why if we miss out on precious rest, we are far more likely to silently curse the car who cuts us off in traffic, or worse.

While these may seem like comical examples of sleep deprivation's effects on the brain, unfortunately, the consequences are much more severe than forgotten names and road rage.

Consequences of Sleep Deprivation on Our Psychological State
The mechanisms of sleep disruption and mental health are complicated to understand. But what scientists do know is that sleep and mental health are intimately related. After all, it's during sleep that we process our emotions and memories.

Think about it like this: sleep for the mind is like the quiet hours at the office. When there is less to respond to, you get more work done. Same goes for the brain. When we are asleep, the brain can really get to work because it doesn't have to respond to all the external stimuli we encounter when we are awake. But if we rob the brain of this precious time, we pay the price.

Here are a few of the primary consequences sleep loss has on our psychological state.

Emotional Instability
Mood after a night of too little sleep.
Mood the night after too little sleep.

Have you ever noticed that when you miss out on sleep you tend to be more sensitive, easily irritated, or impulsive? There's a biological reason for that, and it has to do with two areas of the brain called the amygdala and prefrontal cortex.

The amygdala is in charge of our emotional responses. But to do its job correctly it needs us to sleep, because that's the time it's allocated to process emotion. When we miss out on sleep, the amygdala goes into overdrive, causing our immediate emotional reactions to intensify. In fact, one study using MRI brain scans showed that the amygdala was around 60% more emotionally reactive in participants who were sleep deprived compared to those who were well rested. Hence, why you are more prone to road rage after a night of poor sleep. It's not only negative emotions that intensify with lack of sleep; positive ones do too.

That's not all. The amygdala isn't the only area of the brain that gets hit with the consequences of sleep deprivation. Another area involved in emotional regulation, the prefrontal cortex, does as well. The prefrontal cortex does a lot of impressive things. One of which is being "the voice of reason" to our emotions (aka putting the brakes on our amygdala when it's being a diva). The prefrontal cortex helps control our impulses.

However, like the amygdala, the prefrontal cortex can't do its job properly when we don't sleep well. Much of this has to do with a disruption in communication between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, who work closely with one another. This makes us more impulsive and less likely to think through our emotional reactions, which is a dangerous place to be.

The disruption of the amygdala in combination with the prefrontal cortex is what makes us more vulnerable to mood swings, erratic behavior, and increased emotional reactivity when we lose sleep. This is also why all parents dread when their teenager comes home from a sleepover.

Hormone Disruption
In addition to emotional instability, scientists know that lack of sleep causes a chemical imbalance in the brain. Some of the most valuable chemicals in the brain are our hormones.

Our body produces and regulates roughly 50 different hormones which act as chemical messengers for the brain, traveling through our blood and delivering messages from the brain to different areas of the body. Hormones influence appetite, weight, mood, immunity, growth, healing, and much more. In a word, hormones (amongst other things) allow us to function properly.

However, lack of sleep messes up the communication between the brain and it's messengers, causing our hormones to act incorrectly or deliver misinformation to the body. This is why sleep deprivation poses such a dangerous threat to mental health-there's a lot at risk if our hormones don't deliver the correct information across the body.

Hormone disruption caused by lack of sleep is mainly due to how sleep affects the endocrine system, particularly the hypothalamus which is attached to the pituitary gland. The endocrine system consists of several glands that secrete (aka produce) hormones. The mastermind behind the endocrine system is the hypothalamus.

The primary responsibility of the hypothalamus is to maintain balance in the body, including hormonal balance. It tells the glands of the endocrine system when to produce certain hormones and when to regulate others. Put another way, the hypothalamus tells the hormones what messages to communicate to the body and when. Much of this critical instruction from the hypothalamus is given during sleep.

At night, the hypothalamus instructs certain glands of the endocrine system to physically produce the following hormones and regulate others. But if we don't sleep, it can't deliver the proper information causing everything to fall out of balance. This puts our bodies in a state of chaos trying to find homeostasis again.

Although many hormone levels are influenced by sleep, cortisol (the hormone that impacts stress levels) has one of the biggest impacts on the state of our mental health.

Less Sleep, More Stress
Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands that plays a big role in our "fight or flight" response. It helps keep us alert. The production of cortisol is regulated by the pituitary gland (remember, the one the hypothalamus is connected too). It's very important for cortisol levels to be just right. If too much or too little cortisol is produced, there are consequences.

Unfortunately, when we don't get enough sleep, too much cortisol is produced. This puts our body in a constant state of stress, unable to relax. This is the reason individuals under a lot of stress struggle with insomnia-the increased amounts of cortisol keep them awake!

We know stress has a number of detrimental effects on the body, including impaired thinking, weight gain, and the inability to control emotions. The worst part is, sleep deprivation and stress contribute to a negative feedback loop that can be difficult to break and often results in mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and depressive disorders.

With heightened stress, comes heightened anxiety which can make you hypersensitive to all sorts of physical, mental, and emotional stimuli. For anyone diagnosed with mental health disorders or sleep disorders, additional stress can increase the severity.

Our mind is pretty complex, huh? Amazingly, this is only scratching the surface in terms of how sleep impacts our mental health. But what about how our mental state impacts sleep? That's a whole other fish to fry. I told you our sleep and mind have an intimate relationship.

How Mental Health Impacts Sleep
There's no denying sleep and mental health have a reciprocal relationship. Lack of sleep impacts mental health, and vice versa. One thing is for sure: when our mental health is on the rocks, our sleep is right there with it.

Research shows Americans with psychiatric conditions are far more prone to sleep issues and abnormal sleep habits. In fact, chronic sleep problems affect 50 to 80 percent of patients in a typical psychiatric practice, compared with 10 to 18 percent of adults in the general U.S. population. So what's the connection between mental illness and sleep disorders?

Mental Illness and Sleep Disorders

Traditionally, clinicians believed sleep disorders were a symptom of mental illness. Now, current research suggests sleep problems may raise risk for, and even directly contribute to, the development of some psychiatric disorders. But it's not that simple. The link between sleep health and mental health is stronger and more complicated than ever.

It's important to note that the relationship between these two ailments varies in severity and complexity across different disorders. One mental illness may develop in part due to a specific sleep disorder, but it can also be a symptom of the same mental illness - creating a positive feedback loop. Some mental issues may show no causal relationships with sleep at all. And some sleep disorders have no relationship with mental disorders whatsoever.

The most common mental illnesses in the United States are anxiety and depressive disorders, affecting roughly 40 million American adults, of which 50 to 90 percent also have a sleep disorder. The most common sleep ailments for individuals with mental illness are insomnia (not being able to sleep) and hypersomnia (sleeping too much), with sleep apnea following close behind.

While the relationship is complex, here's what we know for a fact:

Sleep disorders are more common among the mentally ill
Lack of sleep can worsen mental illness and make it more difficult to cope with symptoms
It's very likely that treatment for sleep disorders will alleviate symptoms of mental health disorders
Those with mental health disorders often spend time in lighter, less restorative stages of sleep than deep, REM sleep, which is critical to health and healing
The relationship between lack of sleep and mental illness is particularly important to understand because it has the potential to become very dangerous when untreated. A University of Michigan study found a strong correlation between insomnia and suicide.

Common Mental Illnesses and Their Associated Sleep Disorders
Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness across the United States, affecting 18 percent of the adult population. Anxiety disorders typically develop from a number of risk factors including genetics, brain chemistry, and life events. The good news is, anxiety disorders are highly treatable.

COMMON SLEEP PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ANXIETY DISORDERS
Insomnia
Hypersomnia
Nightmares
Night time panic attacks
Anxiety is a reaction to stress. While all of us experience and react to stress, the nervous system of those with an anxiety disorder fails to reset back to normal after fighting or fleeing the stressor. A heightened state of stress and anxiety keeps the nervous system alert, unable to relax enough for you to fall asleep. This is why insomnia is a common companion to anxiousness. Individuals with anxiety might also find themselves battling hypersomnia or oversleeping, as a response to the exhaustion from insomnia.

When anxiety is caused by trauma, such as PTSD, it's not uncommon for them to relive that trauma through a vivid, unsettling dream that jerks them out of sleep. For those with panic anxiety disorder, it's not uncommon for them to experience nocturnal panic attacks which take place during the lighter stages of sleep. The individual wakes up feeling extreme panic or fear, perhaps accompanied by sweats, pains in the chest, and increased heart rate.

Depression
Depression is a mood disorder that is far more severe than just feeling sad. We all experience low points, trying times, or stressors that bring our mood down-that is completely normal. It's when these negative moods persist and eventually manifest into harmful thinking or behavior that depression becomes a psychiatric disorder.

Roughly 16 million Americans suffer from depression, constituting 6.7% of the entire population. Depression is more prevalent in women and is the leading cause of disability in people ages 15-44. Fifty percent of depressed individuals also have an anxiety disorder as well.

COMMON SLEEP PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH DEPRESSION
Insomnia
Hypersomnia
Sleep Apnea
Insomnia affects 75 percent of individuals with depression. Depressed individuals can struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep, and even wake up from sleep (hypersomnia). There has also been research that insinuates a relationship between sleep apnea and depression. In fact, individuals with sleep apnea are five times more likely to suffer from depression as well.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is one of the most common mental illnesses among children, affecting approximately eight to ten percent of school-aged children. It is a condition that consists of differences in brain development where attention, self-control, and hyperactivity are controlled.

COMMON SLEEP PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ADHD DISORDERS
Insomnia
Daytime Sleepiness
Sleep Apnea
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) and Restless Leg Syndrome
Both the symptoms of ADHD and the medication used to treat it result in fragmented sleep, as well as other sleep disorders. Seventy-five percent of individuals with ADHD suffer from insomnia, believed to be caused by a delayed circadian rhythm. In addition to trouble falling asleep, individuals with ADHD can have trouble staying asleep as well.

A Final Note on Mental Health
It's important to understand that mental illness is just that-an illness. Just like you get a fever or a sore throat, it's not something you have control over and it's not something to be ashamed of! Mental illnesses, like physical illnesses, can be treated. They just might be a little harder to recognize than a pounding headache. If you suffer from a mental illness of any kind, don't be afraid to seek help. Just as we nurture our bodies back to health, so we can nurture our minds back to health too.

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Sleep and Mental Health: Why Our Brains Need Sleep

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Sleep for the brain is like gas for a car. When the tank is full we get where we need to be. But as time goes on, the gauge falls lower and lower until the gas is gone and the car stops. Without the fuel it needs, the car is useless.

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Does daylight saving time affect sleep patterns?

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As we prepare to "spring forward" an hour this Sunday, members of Congress are discussing the need to continue biannual time changes. In this episode of Talking Sleep, Dr. Erin Flynn-Evans, a circadian physiologist, explains why standard time puts our social, sun, and body clocks in the best alignment and supports overall health and safety.

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As we prepare to "spring forward" an hour this Sunday, members of Congress are discussing the need to continue biannual time changes. In this episode of Talking Sleep, Dr. Erin Flynn-Evans, a circadian physiologist, explains why standard time puts our soci...

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The "inner clock"

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What are circadian rhythms?

Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. These natural processes respond primarily to light and dark and affect most living things, including animals, plants, and microbes. Chronobiology is the study of circadian rhythms. One example of a light-related circadian rhythm is sleeping at night and being awake during the day. The Average Teen Circadian Cycle image shows the circadian rhythm cycle of a typical teen.

What are biological clocks?

Biological clocks are organisms' natural timing devices, regulating the cycle of circadian rhythms. They're composed of specific molecules ( proteins) that interact with cells throughout the body. Nearly every tissue and organ contains biological clocks. Researchers have identified similar genes in people, fruit flies, mice, plants, fungi, and several other organisms that make the clocks' molecular components.

What is the master clock?

A master clock in the brain coordinates all the biological clocks in a living thing, keeping the clocks in sync. In vertebrate animals, including humans, the master clock is a group of about 20,000 nerve cells (neurons) that form a structure called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN. The SCN is in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus and receives direct input from the eyes.

Circadian rhythm cycle of a typical teenager. Credit: NIGMS.

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Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. These natural processes respond primarily to light and dark and affect most living things, including animals, plants, and microbes. Chronobiology is the study of circadian rhythms. One example of a light-related circadian rhythm is sleeping at night and being awake during the day.

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How does your body know what time it is? - Marco A. Sotomayor