Saatva Survey Uncovers What Your Age Says About the Way You Sleep

NEW YORK, July 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey from Saatva, the Smarter Luxury Sleep Company, finds that Millennials are sleeping longer and better than any other generation. 

Saatva surveyed 2,000 Americans divided among Gen Z (1997-2012), Millennials (1981-1996), Gen X (1965-1980), and Boomers (1946-1964) to find out who sleeps best and why. Among the highlights:

• While 75% of Americans get between 6 and 8 hours of sleep per night, Millennials get the most sleep, with 85% logging 6+ hours. Gen X gets the least, with 18% sleeping 5 hours or fewer.
• Millennials also rate their sleep quality as better than any other generation. Nearly half (49%) say they have good sleep. Gen X gets the worst sleep, with 27% rating their sleep as poor.
• Among all generations, 41% rate their sleep as "good," 39% say it's "okay," and 20% rate their sleep as "bad."

"Younger people tend to report better sleep quality than older people. It's a common topic that I see in my practice," says Shantha Gowda PsyD, a licensed clinical health psychologist, behavioral sleep medicine specialist, and founder of ThinkSleep. She points out that Gen X is the "sandwich" generation that is raising young children while dealing with aging parents. "Gen X also has more of a 'grind' mentality when it comes to work," Gowda says. "Younger Millennials and Gen Z are more likely to focus on work/life balance." She notes that all of those stresses could contribute to Gen X's sleep dissatisfaction.

What's Keeping Americans Up at Night?

The survey also examined the "sleep stealers" robbing Americans of their rest.

• Among all generations, the most frequently cited culprits were finances (35%), physical health (33%), and work (25%).
• But for Gen Z, social media was the biggest disruptor of sleep. Over one-third of Gen Z respondents (35%) blamed social media for keeping them up at night.
• On the other hand, Gen Z was also the most likely to seek help for dealing with their anxiety, with nearly one-quarter (24%) having gone to therapy.
• Back pain was the most frequently reported health condition for all generations (31%), followed by insomnia (20%) and sleep apnea (15%).

Not surprisingly, back pain dominated the physical complaints for Gen X and Boomers, but 29% of Millennials and 15% of Gen Z also cited it as their top physical ailment.

"Back pain does not discriminate. It affects all adults to a significant degree without giving credence to psychographics or demographics," says chiropractor Chris Tomshack, CEO of HealthSource Chiropractic. "In fact, fully 50% of adults suffer from chronic or daily back pain, while 80% of adults will suffer a serious back pain event at some point in their life."

Men, Women, and Couples

The survey revealed some marked differences between the sexes when it comes to sleep. While more women than men say sleep is "very important" to them (67% vs. 58%), women are less likely than men to be satisfied with the quality of their sleep. Women also report that they struggle more than men with falling and staying asleep.

• Men consistently rate their sleep quality as better than women, with 45% rating their sleep quality as good, vs. only 36% of women. Similarly, more women (23%) than men (16%) say they sleep badly.
• Men are more likely to wake up earlier, with 22% rising between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., vs. 18% of women.
• However, men are also more likely to try to make up for lack of sleep on the weekend, with 38% saying they rise later on the weekend than during the week, vs. 35% of women.
• "Sleep divorce" is a trend among all generations, with 16% of all partnered couples reporting they sleep in separate beds. Boomers lead the way, with 21% of couples sleeping apart.

How the Generations Get Better Sleep

Different generations say they have tried—or abandoned—various habits to improve their sleep.

• Gen Z and Millennials were most likely to have curbed electronics use, with 25% saying they have started turning off devices before bed.
• All generations cited giving up caffeine before bed as their #1 habit change for better sleep (35%), followed by not eating a large evening meal (30%) or drinking a lot of water before bedtime (24%).
• Music was the most popular stress reliever, with 61% of all respondents saying they have used it to relax before sleep.
• When it comes to cannabis, alcohol, and sleep supplements, Millennials were the most likely to use cannabis (19%) or alcohol (11%) before bed, while Boomers (18%) were the most likely to use sleep supplements.

About the Survey
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 2,017 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 8 and 12 April 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).

About Saatva
Established in 2010, Saatva is the original DTC mattress industry disruptor, founded on the principle that everyone deserves healthy and restorative sleep on a quality bed. All Saatva mattresses are made to order in the USA with premium materials that meet the highest health and environmental safety standards. Saatva mattresses are always hand-delivered and set up in the customer's home, never compressed in a box for doorstep shipping.

Saatva offers best-in-class mattresses in five different categories—innerspring, ultra-premium memory foam, all-natural latex, hybrid, adjustable air, and specialty designs for babies, youth, and bigger bodies—plus designer bed frames, bedroom chairs and benches, rugs, and top-of-bed products. Made with recycled steel, organic cotton, and CertiPUR-US® foams, Saatva's mattresses reflect the company's commitment to green principles and practices.

Since 2019, with the opening of its first brick-and-mortar Viewing Room in Manhattan, Saatva has expanded its showroom network into 18 leading retail markets across the country, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Houston, Seattle, and Portland. 

Through accessible prices, complimentary white glove delivery, 24/7 customer care, and eco-friendly products, Saatva provides customers with an unparalleled mattress-buying experience that truly embodies the meaning of smarter luxury sleep.

SOURCE Saatva