QuickStats: Percentage* of Currently Employed Adults Aged ≥18 Years Who Reported an Average of ≤6 Hours of Sleep per 24-Hour Period, by Employment Category§ — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2008–2009 and 2017–2018

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The figure is a bar chart showing the percentage of employed adults who reported an average of ≤6 hours of sleep per 24-hour period increased from 28.4%26#37; during 2008–2009 to 32.6%26#37; during 2017–2018. During this period, increases were noted among private sector employees (29.5%26#37; to 33.3%26#37;), government employees (28.8%26#37; to 32.8%26#37;), and the self-employed (24.3%26#37; to 31.4%26#37;). A lower percentage of the self-employed reported ≤6 hours of sleep compared with private sector and government employees during 2008–2009. The smaller differences by employment categories noted during 2017–2018 were not statistically significant.

* With 95% confidence intervals shown with error bars.

Based on responses to the following question: “On average, how many hours of sleep do you get in a 24-hour period?”

§ Based on responses to a question that asked for the category that best described the respondent’s current job or work situation. Only selected categories are shown. Federal, state, and local government employees were aggregated in the government category.

Estimates were based on household interviews of a sample of the noninstitutionalized U.S. civilian population and are derived from the National Health Interview Survey Sample Adult component.

The percentage of employed adults who reported an average of ≤6 hours of sleep per 24-hour period increased from 28.4% during 2008–2009 to 32.6% during 2017–2018. During this period, increases were noted among private sector employees (29.5% to 33.3%), government employees (28.8% to 32.8%), and the self-employed (24.3% to 31.4%). A lower percentage of the self- employed reported ≤6 hours of sleep compared with private sector and government employees during 2008–2009. The smaller differences by employment categories noted during 2017–2018 were not statistically significant.

Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2008–2009 and 2017–2018. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm.

Reported by: Regina Pana-Cryan, PhD, rfp2@cdc.gov, 202-245-0669; Abay Asfaw, PhD; Roger Rosa, PhD.


Suggested citation for this article: QuickStats: Percentage of Currently Employed Adults Aged ≥18 Years Who Reported an Average of ≤6 Hours of Sleep per 24-Hour Period, by Employment Category — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2008–2009 and 2017–2018. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:504. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6916a5.

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