Few of Us Getting Recommended 7 Hours of Sleep Per Night: Apple Heart & Movement Study
A major study from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital has revealed that few of us are getting our recommended 7 hours of sleep a night.[0] As part of the Apple Heart & Movement Study, researchers reviewed data from over 2.9 million nights of sleep from Apple Watch users and found that just 31% of those people are getting at least seven hours of sleep per night.[0] The American Heart Association recommends seven to nine hours of sleep per night and not getting enough can put you at risk for various health issues.[0]
The data for the study was collected from over 42,000 people who have Apple Watches and opted into the study through the Apple Research app.[1] The average amount of time asleep per individual was 6 hours and 27 minutes, with fewer than 40% of people meeting the AHA's recommended sleep duration.[1]
In addition to the amount of sleep, the research also showed disparities in when sleep began on weekdays compared to weekends.[1] On weekdays, people went to bed before midnight about 66% of the time, while on weekends that number drops to about 57%.[1]
The Apple Watch is a much-improved sleep tracker, thanks to new features.[2] It uses signals from the accelerometer to detect when users are in REM, Core, or Deep sleep.[3]
Good sleep provides health benefits, such as improving heart health and reducing the risk of depression, obesity, and higher blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.[4] To get better sleep, experts recommend setting a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, avoiding caffeine late in the day, and creating a relaxing pre-bedtime routine.
0. “Major Apple Watch study reveals we're not getting enough sleep” Wareable, 13 Mar. 2023, https://www.wareable.com/apple/major-apple-watch-study-sleep-results
1. “Apple Watch study says you need to get more sleep” AppleInsider, 13 Mar. 2023, https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/03/13/apple-watch-study-says-you-need-to-get-more-sleep
2. “Apple Watch study reveals most of us aren't getting nearly enough sleep every night” 9to5Mac, 12 Mar. 2023, https://9to5mac.com/2023/03/12/apple-watch-sleep-tracking-study-results/
3. “People aren't getting enough sleep, Apple Watch data shows” ABC News, 11 Mar. 2023, https://abcnews.go.com/Health/people-sleep-apple-watch-data-shows/story?id=97777216
4. “Sleep Loss Robs Your Health and Wealth – SavingAdvice.com Blog” SavingAdvice.com, 7 Mar. 2023, https://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2023/03/07/10109108_sleep-loss-robs-your-health-and-wealth.html
