Politics are keeping Americans up at night: Nearly 60% of adults struggle to fall asleep due to political worries

Americans are finding that being politically informed comes at an unexpected cost—sleep. According to a new survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the current state of affairs in the U.S. is keeping Americans up at night, with nearly 60% of respondents (58%) reporting that they have lost sleep at night due to worries about politics. With the 2022 midterm elections right around the corner, Americans will need to prioritize good sleep hygiene to avoid staying up late with their worries.

“Politics can be a charged topic for so many people—even more so when those topics hit close to home. The 24-hour news cycle brings us endless updates on both domestic and international events, conflicts, and opinions. This can weigh heavily on us both physically and emotionally,” said Dr. Seema Khosla, chair of the AASM Public Awareness Advisory Committee. “It is important to prioritize healthy, sufficient sleep, especially with the midterm elections coming up.” 

Additionally, the survey finds that Generation Z is tossing, turning and worrying more than any other generation, with about one-third of Gen Z (32%) admitting to having always, almost always or often lost sleep due to concerns about politics, regardless of party affiliation. 

To get the best quality of sleep at night, sleep experts at the AASM offer the following tips:

• Avoid consuming caffeine six hours before your anticipated bedtime to ensure sleep is not impacted.

• Avoid alcohol, as it can induce sleep and impact your sleep cycle and quality.

• Unplug from electronics at least 30 minutes to an hour before going to bed and keep your phone out of the bedroom to resist the temptation of social media and breaking news.

• Wind down at the end of the day by taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book or journaling to help you prepare for bed.

• Get out of bed if you can’t fall asleep. Do a calming activity like reading a book or meditating until you begin to feel sleepy. 

• Head outdoors in the morning, as sunlight exposure will help regulate your circadian rhythm.

The AASM recommends that most adults should get at least seven hours of nightly sleep to promote optimal health. To help select an appropriate bedtime for your schedule, use the AASM’s online Bedtime Calculator.  

To learn more about the importance of healthy sleep and find additional tips to improve your sleep, visit SleepEducation.org. 

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About the Survey  

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine commissioned an online survey of 2,010 adults in the U.S. The overall margin of error fell within +/- 2 percentage points with a confidence interval of 95 percent. Fieldwork took place between Feb. 17-24, 2022. Atomik Research is an independent market research agency.  

About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Established in 1975, the AASM advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM has a combined membership of 11,000 accredited sleep centers and individuals, including physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who care for patients with sleep disorders. As the leader in the sleep field, the AASM sets standards and promotes excellence in sleep medicine health care, education and research (aasm.org).