In what states do people report getting sufficient sleep or, conversely, being sleep deprived?

Thanks to the Centers for Disease Control, we now have an answer to that question.

The CDC studied the responses of more than 400.000 people in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and three U.S. territories to a survey given in 2008. People were asked if they had insufficient rest or sleep in the preceding 30 days.

Because of the differences between what young adults consider sufficient sleep compared with, say their parents, the researchers adjusted the results for age.

They found that North Dakotans had the fewest complaints about insufficient sleep with only 7.4 percent of them reporting too little sleep or rest in the prior 30 days.

CDC's sleep deficiency map.
Enlarge Centers for Disease Control

The CDC sleep deficiency map seems to indicate that southerners are more sleepless than northerners and that Californians are some of the nation's most rested people.

CDC's sleep deficiency map.
Centers for Disease Control

The CDC sleep deficiency map seems to indicate that southerners are more sleepless than northerners and that Californians are some of the nation's most rested people.

In contrast, West Virginia was the state with the highest percentage of complaints about sleeplessness at 19.3 percent.

It probably won't surprise many that West Coasters — Californians and Oregonians— seem to do pretty well on the sleep front, laid back as they are.

 

The CDC's researchers doesn't hazard a guess as to why so many North Dakotans feel they get enough shut eye and so many West Virginians don't.

The results should get doctors to ask their patients during medical exams if they are getting adequate sleep so docs can make take the necessary next steps in the event they aren't.

Mattress sellers and sleeping-pill makers might also want to use this information to better target their efforts.