The 5 States Where People Get the Least Sleep

Health and Healthcare

Published: February 28, 2016 10:08 am

Last Updated: January 13, 2020 12:37 pm

Eight hours of sleep. That is the rule most often mentioned as the measure of a good night’s sleep. Some people claim they can get by on less, and for a few, much less. And their claims might be true. Scientists recently discovered what they call the “Thatcher Gene,” which allows people who have it to get by on very little sleep. The gene is named for the U.K. prime minister who said she could get by on a very few hours.

The length of time that people sleep varies widely across the United States. It appears that some of this is related to the demographics of the sleepers. 24/7 Wall St. looked at sleep time by state, and these are the five where people sleep the shortest time, along with statistics that include mental health, heart disease, personal activity, income, and unemployment

1. South Dakota
> Pct. of adults getting insufficient sleep: 28.4%
> Avg. number of poor mental health days (per month): 2.7 (2nd lowest)
> Pct. of adults with heart disease: 4.2% (22nd highest)
> Pct. of adults who are physically active: 78.8% (15th highest)
> Personal income (per capita): $46,345 (21st highest)
> Unemployment rate: 3.4% (3rd lowest)

Only 28.4% of adults in South Dakota are sleep deprived, the lowest share of any state. Certain sleep disorders have been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and South Dakota also has a lower annual rate of cardiovascular deaths than the national rate, at the 233 per 100,000 state residents compared to 251 cardiovascular deaths for every 100,000 Americans.

2. Colorado
> Pct. of adults getting insufficient sleep: 28.5%
> Avg. number of poor mental health days (per month): 3.2 (11th lowest)
> Pct. of adults with heart disease: 3.0% (3rd lowest)
> Pct. of adults who are physically active: 83.6% (the highest)
> Personal income (per capita): $48,730 (14th highest)
> Unemployment rate: 5.0% (15th lowest)

Fewer than 29% of adults in Colorado report inadequate sleep. As is the case in most states where a relatively small share of adults is sleep deprived, incomes in Colorado tend to be higher than across the country.