New Survey Shows Stress Over the Past Year Is Negatively Impacting the Quality of Sleep for Half of Americans

ResMed (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD), a world-leading digital health company, announced today the results of a nationwide survey of 1,000 adults, which revealed that for half of Americans, stress over the past year is negatively impacting the quality of their sleep – and many are ignoring sleep challenges that could point to a larger underlying health concern.

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Family sleeping (Photo: Business Wire)

ResMed published the survey in conjunction with National Sleep Awareness Week (March 14-20) and World Sleep Day (March 19), and as part of Sleep for a Better Tomorrow, an education and outreach initiative to build awareness of the critical role good sleep plays in physical and mental health – and how to get our best sleep.

“COVID-19 has impacted all aspects of our lives, including our sleep health, leading many people to struggle to get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep at night,” said Carlos M. Nunez, M.D., chief medical officer for ResMed.

Beyond the pervasive effects of stress, the survey found the impacts on sleep vary across gender and working arrangements.

• 35% of women reported worse sleep quality in the past year compared to just 26% of men. Women selected stress and anxiety as the most significant impacts on their sleep.
• More individuals working from home reported improved sleep quality since the pandemic began vs. those who haven’t worked from home (39% vs. 21%).
• Across all respondents, more than one-third say they are having a harder time falling asleep, and nearly one-third say they are sleeping less over the last year, and one-quarter started taking naps more often.

Snoring and sleep apnea

While COVID-related stresses are often noticeable, one of the biggest stealers of our sleep might be something we can’t easily detect: sleep apnea.

The survey revealed that more than one in two Americans say they snore, or a bed partner has told them they snore, yet 78% of those who snore aren’t concerned it could be related to an underlying health condition, despite snoring being a top symptom of sleep apnea. Additionally, nearly half of survey respondents said their doctor had not asked them about their sleep quality, reinforcing the importance of consumers being aware of the potential health impacts of poor sleep and acting on key sleep apnea symptoms such as snoring.