The average hours of sleep depends on how you ask. In a large CDC survey, about 35 percent of US adults said they usually slept under 7 hours (CDC MMWR 2016). In the Bureau of Labor Statistics time-use survey, people logged about 9 hours a day of sleeping in 2025, but that figure includes naps and time spent trying to sleep (BLS). This guide puts the main numbers side by side, explains why they differ and shows how to work out your own weekly average. It is for education only.
Want to compare your week with these numbers? Try the sleep statistics calculator.
How Much Sleep Does The Average Person Get?
There is no single answer, because surveys measure different things. The three most-quoted sources are below.
| Source | What It Asks | Headline Result |
|---|---|---|
| CDC BRFSS (2014) | “On average, how many hours do you usually sleep?” | 34.8 percent slept under 7 hours; 65.2 percent slept 7 or more (CDC MMWR 2016) |
| BLS American Time Use Survey (2025) | A diary of yesterday, including naps | 9.03 hours a day sleeping, including naps and spells of sleeplessness (BLS) |
| Gallup poll (2013) | Hours slept last night | Average 6.8 hours; 59 percent got 7 or more (Gallup) |
These do not conflict as much as they look. The CDC and Gallup ask about sleep itself, from memory. The time-use survey counts time reported as “sleeping,” which is longer than time actually asleep. Treat 6.8 to 7 hours as the usual self-reported figure and about 9 hours as a diary measure of time in bed.
Percentage Of Adults Who Are Sleep Deprived
The best-known headline is that about a third of US adults sleep too little. The 2014 CDC analysis of 444,306 adults found 34.8 percent reported under 7 hours, split as 11.8 percent at 5 hours or less and 23.0 percent at 6 hours (CDC MMWR 2016). The CDC’s current adult facts page says the share stayed the same from 2013 to 2022. In 2022 it ranged by state from 30 percent in Vermont to 46 percent in Hawaii (CDC adult sleep facts). I could not find a current national percentage on an opened CDC page, so the 2014 figure is the headline here, labelled with its year.
The CDC defines healthy sleep for adults as 7 or more hours (CDC). That is why under 7 hours is counted as short. See signs of sleep deprivation for what short sleep feels like.
Average Sleep Per Night By Age And Sex Group
The 2014 survey reported the share of each group getting 7 or more hours:
| Group | Percent Sleeping 7 or More Hours |
|---|---|
| Ages 18 to 24 | 67.8 |
| Ages 25 to 34 | 62.1 |
| Ages 35 to 44 | 61.7 |
| Ages 45 to 64 | 62.7 |
| Ages 65 and older | 73.7 |
| Men | 64.6 |
| Women | 65.2 |
Source: CDC MMWR 2016. The pattern is a dip in the working years, which is when jobs, children and commutes squeeze sleep. Men and women look almost the same on self-reported hours. In the time-use survey, women logged slightly more sleeping time than men, 9.13 against 8.93 hours in 2025 (BLS). The 2022 CDC page adds that 37 percent of men and 39 percent of adults aged 45 to 64 were short sleepers that year (CDC adult sleep facts). Needs are not the same as averages. For what each age should aim for, see how much sleep you need.
Are We Sleeping Less Than We Used To?
It depends on which series you trust. Self-reported surveys point to more short sleepers. A study of US workers found short sleep of 6 hours or less rose from 24.2 percent in 1985 and 1990 to 30.1 percent in 2004 to 2007 (Luckhaupt et al. 2010). A Gallup poll found 59 percent of Americans got 7 or more hours in 2013, against 84 percent in 1942, though the questions and methods differed (Gallup). The time-use survey, meanwhile, shows total sleeping time near 9 hours with little movement from 2024 to 2025 (BLS). So there is no clean “we sleep less than ever” claim. The honest summary is that more adults report short sleep than decades ago, and methods differ too much to say by exactly how much.
Who Sleeps Least? Work Schedules
Shift work stands out. In a 2010 national survey, 30.0 percent of employed adults averaged 6 hours or less. That rose to 44.0 percent of night shift workers, against 28.8 percent of day workers (CDC MMWR 2012). If you work nights, see how to sleep after a night shift.
Why Self-Reported Sleep Runs High
People tend to overestimate how much they sleep. In a study of 669 adults, measured sleep averaged 6.0 hours against 6.8 hours reported. Those who really slept 5 hours over-reported by about 1.2 hours (Lauderdale et al. 2008). Wearables do not fix this fully. A 2023 study found most wearables tend to overestimate sleep by misclassifying wake time (Lee et al. 2023). So an average from a survey or a tracker is a good guide, not a measurement. See are sleep trackers accurate.
How To Calculate Your Average Hours Of Sleep In A Week
- Write down time asleep for 7 nights. Count time asleep, not time in bed.
- Add the 7 numbers. Say 6.5, 7, 6, 6.5, 7, 8.5 and 9 hours is 50.5.
- Divide by 7. Here that is about 7.2 hours.
- Weight it if your week is lopsided. Multiply your weekday average by 5, your weekend average by 2, add them and divide by 7.
Compare the result with the CDC guide of 7 or more hours for ages 18 to 60 (CDC). If you want it done for you, use the sleep statistics calculator or the sleep duration calculator. If your average is under 7, see how to recover from sleep debt.
Time In Bed vs Time Asleep
Most of the confusion in sleep statistics comes from mixing two things. Time in bed starts when you lie down and ends when you get up. Time asleep leaves out the minutes you spend lying awake, and any wake-ups in the night. A person can spend 8 hours in bed and be asleep for 7. Diaries and time-use surveys lean toward the first number, and “usual sleep” questions aim at the second, although people round and guess. When you compare your own week with a statistic, check which of the two it measures.
The same caution applies to weekends. Many people sleep longer on days off, so a survey that asks about “last night” can land on a catch-up night. If you want to know more about that swing, read social jet lag and why sleep regularity matters.
Quick Takeaways
- About a third of US adults report under 7 hours, based on 2014 CDC data.
- Time-use diaries show about 9 hours because they include naps and time in bed.
- Sleep is lowest in the working years and in night shift workers.
- People over-report sleep, so real averages may be lower.
- Your own weekly average beats any national number for your decisions.
When To See A Doctor
The CDC advises talking to your healthcare provider if you regularly have problems sleeping, or if you notice signs of insomnia, restless legs, narcolepsy or sleep apnea (CDC). An average that looks fine on paper does not rule out poor-quality sleep, so how you feel matters too.
FAQs About Average Sleep
What Is The Average Sleep Time For A 40 Year Old?
In the 2014 CDC survey, 61.7 percent of adults aged 35 to 44 reported 7 or more hours, which is the lowest of any age group (CDC MMWR 2016). The recommendation for that age is 7 or more hours (CDC).
Do Women Sleep More Than Men?
Slightly, in time-use diaries: 9.13 hours against 8.93 in 2025. Self-reported 7 hour rates are almost the same (BLS, CDC MMWR 2016).
Why Does The Time-Use Survey Show 9 Hours?
It counts time logged as sleeping, including naps and spells of sleeplessness, not time truly asleep (BLS).
Which US States Sleep The Least?
The CDC’s 2022 data ranged from 30 percent short sleepers in Vermont to 46 percent in Hawaii (CDC adult sleep facts).
Do Night Shift Workers Sleep Less?
Yes. In a 2010 survey, 44.0 percent of night shift workers averaged 6 hours or less, against 28.8 percent of day workers (CDC MMWR 2012).
Is The Average Enough?
Not necessarily. The average is not the same as the need, and the CDC recommends 7 or more hours for adults (CDC).
Sources
- CDC MMWR 2016 (healthy sleep duration, 2014 BRFSS)
- CDC (adult sleep facts and stats)
- CDC (about sleep)
- BLS American Time Use Survey 2025
- BLS American Time Use Survey 2024
- Luckhaupt et al. 2010
- Gallup (less sleep, higher stress)
- CDC MMWR 2012 (short sleep by occupation and shift)
- Lauderdale et al. 2008
- Lee et al. 2023