Are Canadian adults getting enough sleep? 

Current recommendations^{Footnote 1} are:

Ages 18-64
7-9 Hours of sleep/night

Ages 65+
7-8 Hours of sleep/night

But

1 in 4 adults aged 18-34

1 in 3 adults aged 35-64^{Footnote *}

1 in 4 adults aged 65-79

are not getting enough sleep.

Let's talk about sleep quality, shall we?

• 1 in 2 adults have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep.
• 1 in 5 adults do not find their sleep refreshing.
• 1 in 3 adults have difficulty staying awake during waking hours.

A number of factors are related to insufficient sleep in adults:

More sedentary time

• Adults who get insufficient sleep report an average of 4.0 hours of sedentary time a day compared to an average of 3.5 hours for adults who get adequate sleep.

Chronic stress

• 36.3% of adults who get insufficient sleep report having chronic stress compared to
  23.2% of adults who get adequate sleep.

Poor mental health

• 12.3% of adults who get insufficient sleep report having poor mental health compared to
  5.8% of adults who get adequate sleep.

Good sleep hygiene could lead to better sleep^{Footnote 2 , Footnote 3}:

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine before bed
• Maintain a regular bedtime/waketime
• Practice relaxation and mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques
• Reduce noise in the sleeping environment
• Exercise regularly
• Review medications with your physician/pharmacist regularly

Good sleep. Part of a healthy lifestyle.

Learn more about sleep health at Canada.ca

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