San Diego (Mar 15) – On World Sleep Day, data from a new sleep survey shows that a good night’s rest eludes many.
ResMed today announced the results of its 2024 Global Sleep Survey in conjunction with World Sleep Day (March 15), shedding light on the critical sleep challenges faced by people around the world.
The survey uncovered a staggering number of people suffering from a chronic lack of good sleep, with nearly 40% of respondents getting no more than three nights of good sleep each week – and some individuals reporting just one. Respondents reported feeling excessive daytime sleepiness (50%), negative feelings in the morning (40%) and more irritable (39%).
In its fourth year, the survey included 36,000 participants across 17 markets providing insights on the state of sleep around the world.
Across the surveyed population, only 13% of respondents reported sleeping well every night. People in Japan (57%) topped the list for the number of poor nights’ sleep each week while people in India were the most rested with 27% saying they sleep well every night.
Over half of survey respondents used a digital device before going to bed, whether to scroll through social media (53%), watch TV (44%) or catch up on news (31%).
When asked about what was keeping them awake, the top reasons that emerged were personal anxiety (36%), insomnia (25%), breathing difficulties (15%), and obesity (13%).
Even after falling asleep, 3 in 10 respondents reported being unable to stay asleep without being woken up. People in the UK (44%) and France (42%) experienced the most disruption to their sleep while respondents from India (42%) and Thailand (41%) were most likely to fall and stay asleep the entire night.
Among female respondents who are perimenopausal or menopausal, 56% suffer from disturbed sleep, with women in Ireland and Australia being the most affected. In both countries, 3 in 4 women that are perimenopausal or menopausal said they suffer from disturbed sleep.
“With sleep being the third pillar of health, alongside diet and exercise, prioritizing your sleep is one of the most effective ways to improve your overall health,” said Carlos, M. Nunez. M.D., ResMed Chief Medical Officer. “Poor sleep can be an indicator of conditions such as insomnia and sleep apnea, so this World Sleep Day we want to empower people to take charge of their sleep health and have conversations with their healthcare provider.”
Among survey respondents, 57% claim they are aware of sleep apnea, a chronic disease in which the muscles of the throat relax to the point of collapse, restricting airflow and causing the sufferer to stop breathing repeatedly throughout the night. Notably, however, only 26% of those respondents have been diagnosed.
The 2024 ResMed Global Sleep Survey included a total of 36,000 respondents across 17 markets including Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and USA, between December 2023 and January 2024.
