In the City That Never Sleeps, some boroughs actually catch less shut-eye than others.
Though experts consistently recommend getting seven to nine hours a night, a new study by sleep-tech firm Simba found that New York is falling short, reporting an average of six hours and 36 minutes nightly — and there’s a 24-minute difference between the most well-rested borough and the least.
While current data on the sleep patterns in the US is limited, a whopping 57% of Americans said they need more sleep in a 2024 Gallup poll.
Only a quarter reported getting eight hours or more, while 20% admitted they were getting five hours or less. Just over half said they clocked in at six to seven hours a night — better, but still mostly under what doctors recommend.
Too-little sleep is associated with a host of health problems, including impaired cognitive functioning, high blood pressure, heart and kidney issues and depression. It can also cause increased inflammation, which can lead to different kinds of chronic health conditions and diseases.
But the good news for New Yorkers is they seem to be doing better than the country at large: More than half in four of the five boroughs are getting at least seven hours.
Worst sleep: Staten Island
Clocking in with the least sleep — and the fewest people getting the recommended seven hours or more — is oft-outlier Staten Island.
Staten Islanders reported an average of six hours and 18 minutes of sleep per night, and in a true nightmare scenario, 58% said they sleep less than seven hours.
Tied in the middle: The Bronx and Brooklyn
People in Brooklyn and The Bronx are a bit better at maintaining their beauty sleep, snoozing for six hours and 30 minutes on a nightly basis.
But 48% of Brooklynites don’t get seven hours, while 49% up in The Bronx aren’t reaching that number, either.
Sleeping like babies: Manhattan and Queens
The final two boroughs are tied for most nightly sleep with an average of six hours and 42 minutes each.
But it looks like Manhattan is the best rested of all: While 46% of respondents in Queens said they sleep under seven hours, only 42% of Manhattanites said the same.
And nearly a third of people in Manhattan said they’re out for eight hours or more.
It’s worse than London, innit?
The new survey also pitted New York against London, finding that city-dwellers across the pond are catching more Z’s too. Compared to New Yorkers’ average of six hours and 36 minutes of sleep a night, Londoners are getting six hours and 48 minutes.
One factor might be street noise: 19% of New Yorkers said sounds from outside were a problem, compared to 13% of Londoners.
People in both cities reported stressors related to their health, jobs and families.
A better bedtime: the 3 R’s
“Getting a good night’s sleep is key for our physical and emotional health,” said Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of Simba’s charity partner, the Sleep Charity. “Research has shown that a lack of sleep can increase the risk of conditions such as heart disease, obesity and stroke as well as increase our anxiety and stress levels.”
Artis offered up her three R’s for better sleep: restful environment, regular hours and routine.
If you can try to consistently stay within an hour of that same bedtime and same wake up time, it helps to keep that body clock on track.
Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of the Sleep Charity
Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of the Sleep Charity
“I think the first thing that everyone can do right away, is have a look at their bedroom and ask themselves, ‘Is it restful for sleep? Is it cool, quiet, dark and clutter-free?’ ” she said.
“Even though you sleep with your eyes closed, you don’t want the last thing for you to see before you go to bed to be a mess. Light also increases your melatonin production, which stops you feeling sleepy, so make your room as dark as possible,” she added, also noting that a cool temperature makes a difference.
Getting up and going to bed at the same time every day can also help.
“That programs the mind and the body to sleep better. It’s not always easy, especially with shift work, so it’s about finding what works for you. But, where you can, if you can try to consistently stay within an hour of that same bedtime and same wake up time, it helps to keep that body clock on track,” she said.
Finally, have a calming pre-bed routine to relax.
“Set aside 30 minutes to an hour to help yourself to de-stress and forget about the day, forget about work and switch off,” she said. “Set that boundary for yourself and switch off your phones and devices and find something you enjoy doing that will relax you, like having a bath or reading a book, so that you’re in the right frame of mind for sleep.”
