Did you know the San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most sleep deprived regions in the United States? I have to say, that surprised me! Sleep Score Labs recently looked at 20 of the largest US cities to see who gets the best rest. Where San Francisco and San Jose placed may surprise you…
There’s More Than One City That Never Sleeps
While the CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends seven hours of quality sleep, none of the residents of the 20 cities were close. The city with the closest average was almost one full hour short of the recommended amount. New York City has earned the reputation as the “city that never sleeps”.
However, San Jose residents actually get less sleep, and San Francisco residents only average four more minutes of sleep per night than New Yorkers. Check out the graph below. The Sleepless in Seattle get more sleep than Bay Area residents!
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There’s Hope! Exercise is the Best Way to Improve Sleep
The relationship between physical activity and higher quality sleep is well-researched. Thirty minutes of moderate exercise five days a week improves quality of sleep. Consider brisk walking, pool laps or weight training.
According to The Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep, people who exercise daily fall asleep more quickly and awake better rested. What’s more, a 2019 Penn State study of 417 teenagers found that “exercise may help teens sleep longer and more efficiently”. This is supported by Denver showing up in a different Sleep Score Labs study as the leader in fitness activity time as well as being the city that gets the most sleep.
According to the study, residents of the top three cities in terms of exercise minutes (Denver, San Francisco and Seattle) were among the most rested. And residents of the lowest ranking cities in terms of exercise minutes (Phoenix, Dallas and Houston) were the least rested.
The benefits of morning or mid-day workouts allow the body to relax in the hours leading up to bedtime. And it’s best to exercise outdoors whenever possible.
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Other Ways to Improve Sleep
Remain Consistent. Our bodies respond to routine. Plan bedtime for the same time every evening. This ensures waking up refreshed the same time every morning.
Coffee is for the Morning. Sleep quality is greatly improved by reducing caffeine consumption particularly later in the day. So no more ‘cup of joe’ after 2pm.
Stay Cool. 65 degrees is the ideal bedroom temperature.
The Bedroom is for Sleeping. It’s not an office; it’s not a kitchen. It’s a sanctuary! Treat it as a sacred space!