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List: The most sleep-deprived U.S. cities, according to CDC data

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Published  May 21, 2025 2:40pm EDT
Health
FOX Local
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The Brief

    • Americans could use more sleep – and that’s especially true if you’re in the eastern half of the United States.
    • The 10 most sleep-deprived cities in the nation are mostly on one side of the U.S. map.
    • Ohio, meanwhile, had three of the top 10 most sleep-deprived cities.

Fewer than half of Americans say they got enough sleep last year, and according to an analysis of CDC data, your sleep quality could depend on where you live. 

Researchers for the Innerbody health website weighed five metrics in the top 100 most populated cities to determine which cities are the most and least sleep-deprived, including prevalence of obesity, prevalence of no leisure-time physical activity, prevalence of frequent mental distress, prevalence of binge drinking and noise and light pollution.

Here’s what they found: 

What causes sleep deprivation? 

Why you should care:

Doctors say sleep deprivation can lead to a host of health issues, from hormonal imbalance to obesity, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and more. Conversely, quality sleep can help reduce stress, improve your mood and regulate your appetite. 

FILE - A pug yawns in December 2024 (Photo by Oliver Berg/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Environmental factors that contribute to poor sleep quality include: 

  • Alcohol consumption
  • Stress
  • Noise and light pollution (think passing trains at night or bright city lights shining through your bedroom window)
  • Obesity

RELATED: Popular weight-loss drug could help cut down on alcohol use, study finds

By the numbers:

A 2024 Gallup poll found that only 26% of Americans say they get eight or more hours of sleep – the amount that’s recommended for optimal physical and mental health. Just over half – 53% – reported getting six to seven hours of sleep, while 20% say they got five hours or less.

How to get better sleep

What you can do:

It turns out, bedtime routines aren’t just for toddlers: Doctors note that there are things you can do to improve your sleep quality and duration, including: 

  • Exercise
  • Mindfulness meditation
  • Reducing smartphone and electronics use before bed
  • Going to bed earlier
  • Sleep aids (like melatonin magnesium supplements, for example)

RELATED: TikTok launches new meditation feature for teens

10 most sleep-deprived major cities

Local perspective:

CDC data analyzed by Inner Body found that the eastern half of the U.S. is seemingly more sleep-deprived than major cities in the Midwest and the West. 

The top 10 most sleep-deprived major cities are:

  1. Norfolk, Virginia
  2. New Orleans, Louisiana
  3. Detroit, Michigan
  4. Toledo, Ohio
  5. Cincinnati, Ohio
  6. Indianapolis, Indiana
  7. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  8. Laredo, Texas
  9. Cleveland, Ohio
  10. Memphis, Tennessee

Dig deeper:

It’s worth noting that Ohio is the only state with multiple cities in the top 10 for sleep deprivation. 

10 least sleep-deprived major cities

Local perspective:

Minnesota and California have multiple cities on the best sleep list. The 10 least sleep-deprived cities in the Midwest and West include: 

  1. Minneapolis, Minnesota
  2. Seattle, Washington
  3. San Jose, California
  4. Madison, Wisconsin
  5. Boise, Idaho
  6. St. Paul, Minnesota
  7. Denver, Colorado
  8. Lincoln, Nebraska
  9. Oakland, California
  10. San Francisco, California

The Source: This report includes information from Innerbody, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Harvard Medical School and Gallup. 

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