Where Florida Ranks Among States Getting The Most Sleep

Miami FL

24 August, 2021

5:24 PM

Description

By Hristina Byrnes, 24/7 Wall St. - Miami 2021-08-23 A third of Americans are getting less sleep than is recommended. While insufficient sleep is often considered rather common, it can have significant and adverse effects on people's health. After only one night with too little sleep, a person's cognitive abilities can be dramatically diminished short term. Generally, it is recommended that adults sleep about seven or more hours each night, but sleeping habits vary considerably across the country. About 37.3% of Florida residents over the age of 18 report less than seven hours of sleep per night, the 19th highest share in the country. Nationwide, 35.2% of Americans that age report insufficient sleep. In addition to cognitive abilities, sleeping less than seven hours per night on a regular basis is associated with a range of adverse physical health effects, including increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and coronary heart disease. In Florida, 34.6% of people report having high blood pressure, the 16th highest share in the U.S. Across the country as a whole, 32.9% of Americans have hypertension. About 10.8% of the state's population 20 and over have diabetes, the 20th highest share and compared to a national diabetes prevalence in people 20 and over of 10.5% Lack of sleep has been shown to be a contributing factor to obesity. Sleep deprivation messes with the two hormones that control appetite — ghrelin, which signals hunger, and leptin, which signals being full. Lack of sleep leads to increased levels of ghrelin (increased appetite) and decreased levels of leptin (diminished feeling of fullness). About 27.2% of adults in Florida are obese, the 12th lowest share in the U.S. and compared to national obesity rate among adults of 29.7%. Low income levels appear to increase the likelihood of a population not getting enough sleep. This is likely caused by residents working longer hours at lower-paying jobs and the higher level of stress from financial insecurity. Nationwide, 12.3% of residents live below the poverty line. The poverty rate in Florida is 12.7%, the 19th highest. To determine the states where residents report getting the most and least sleep, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the share of adults in every state who report sleeping less than seven hours per night on a regular basis. These are the states getting the most and least amount of sleep.     Can't see the article's infographic? Click here to view the original story.This story was originally published by 24/7 Wall St., a news organization that produces real-time business commentary and data-driven reporting for state and local markets across the country.