From data collection from the Apple Heart and Movement Study, offered through Apple Watch devices in the United States, researchers point out that most people do not get enough sleep every night. The research, published this month by Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is based on Sleep data collected from over 42,000 users.
More than 2.9 million nights of sleep were analyzed and, given the research, the conclusion is that only 31% of these people sleep at least seven hours a nightthe recommended minimum for healthy adults.
According to the American Heart Association, seven to nine hours of sleep a night are needed to prevent cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline and dementia, depression, obesity, and increased blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.
This study was first announced by Apple in 2019, and anyone can take it using the Apple Health app or the Apple Research app on their iPhone.
Among other findings, the data show that, on weekdays, people go to bed before midnight 66.4% of the time, but that number drops to 56.6% on weekends. In the case of Washington, there is the highest proportion of people with more than 7 hours of sleep, with 38.3%. Hawaii was in last place with 24.2%.
In cases where routines of 10 straight nights of sleep were shared, based on 42.55 participants, the average time was 6 hours and 27 minutes. Despite state differences, across all US states, less than 40% of residents achieved the AHA-recommended sleep duration. This is just the first part of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital study. The researchers say that the second part of the “Life’s Essential 8” series will be published soon.
