Three in 10 Have Trouble Sleeping at Least Once a Week

Most Americans have trouble sleeping from time to time, including nearly a third of Americans who say they have trouble sleeping once a week or more.  Broken down further, 18% of Americans report having trouble sleeping more than once a week, including 9% who go so far as to say they have trouble sleeping "all the time". Another 13% say they have trouble sleeping about once a week.  

Broken down further, 18% of Americans report having trouble sleeping more than once a week, including 9% who go so far as to say they have trouble sleeping "all the time". Another 13% say they have trouble sleeping about once a week.

But for most Americans, having problems with sleep is a less frequent problem. About 17% say they have trouble about once or twice a month, and another 12% say they have trouble just a few times a year. 39% almost never have trouble sleeping.

Americans who have trouble sleeping use different methods to deal with it. For a quarter of Americans, the solution is simply to stay in bed and keep trying. 18% watch TV, while 15% read a book or a magazine. 8% get on an electronic device, and 7% listen to music. Fewer Americans grab a midnight snack (4%) or resort to over the counter or prescription sleep aids (4%).

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This poll was conducted by telephone February 9-14, 2021 among a random sample of 1,004 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones.

The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.

Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

For CBS News Eye on Trends articles posted before 3/15/2021,  go here.