Results: Americans Sleeping Less, More Stressed

For the first time in Gallup polling since 2001, a majority of U.S. adults, 57%, say they would feel better if they got more sleep, while 42% say they get as much sleep as they need. This is nearly a reversal of the figures last measured in 2013, when 56% of Americans got the sleep they needed and 43% did not. In general, do you think you sleep enough or would you feel better with more sleep?

What might be driving these downward trends in sleep? Research on health and wellness shows a strong connection between stress and sleep quality. Indeed, the new poll shows that 63% of those who report wanting more sleep say they frequently experience stress, compared with 31% of those who get the sleep they need. If you have a hard time sleeping in general, do you think stress is to blame?