Sleep Health Journal Article Highlights Important Effects of Neighborhoods on Sleep Health
A comprehensive, multigenerational initiative for sleep health across the lifespan
Contact: Stephanie Kohn
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skohn@thensf.org
Washington, D.C. (July 22, 2025) — New research published in the National Sleep Foundation’s (NSF) Sleep Health journal represents one of the largest investigations to date across the United States examining how neighborhood conditions influence sleep patterns.
The Impact of Neighborhood Deprivation on Sleep and Circadian Health in a Large US Cohort(Barber, McCullough, Faw, Zhong, Peoples, Bodelon, Johnson, Teras, and Patel) analyzed sleep health in more than 180,000 adults from the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3). Researchers showed living in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods is strongly associated with multiple dimensions of poor sleep and circadian health.
The study found that people living in the most economically-deprived neighborhoods had a 23% higher likelihood of getting too little sleep (less than 7 hours) and an 8% higher likelihood of sleeping too long (more than 9 hours) compared to those in the least deprived areas. NSF consensus recommendations call for 7-9 hours of sleep for most adults.
Neighborhood deprivation was measured using factors including poverty rates, education levels, employment status, and housing conditions. Residents of disadvantaged neighborhoods also showed significantly higher rates of social jetlag (the misalignment of our daily schedule to our circadian sleep clock) and poor sleep quality.
“This work is an important contribution to the scientific literature. Results highlight the urgent need for community-level interventions that address the root causes of poor sleep, especially in disadvantaged neighborhoods. When entire communities face barriers to healthy sleep because of environmental and socioeconomic factors, we see how sleep disparities can perpetuate broader health inequities ” said Susan Redline, MD, MPH, Editor in Chief of Sleep Health.
“What is encouraging about these findings is that they highlight a potential target for intervention that could be leveraged to improve sleep and circadian health. Neighborhoods are modifiable, which means deprived neighborhoods can be improved and revitalized. Neighborhood enhancements may have a positive impact on residents’ sleep and circadian patterns, which can lead to improvements in overall health,” said lead author Lauren E. Barber, PhD, MSc, Postdoctoral Fellow at Emory University.
Sleep health is a crucial component of health and well-being. Poor sleep can lead to a range of adverse health outcomes, including increased risk of chronic diseases, mental health issues, and reduced quality of life. National Sleep Foundation is committed to advancing research and policies that help give everyone the opportunity to be their Best Slept Self®.
For more information about sleep health, visit theNSF.org/sleep-health-topics. For more information about Sleep Health visit: www.SleepHealthJournal.org.
About the National Sleep Foundation
There’s only one National Sleep Foundation (NSF). NSF is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health and well-being through sleep education and advocacy. Founded in 1990, the NSF is committed to advancing excellence in sleep health theory, research and practice. In its 35 years, NSF has promoted sleep health through expert recommendations, consensus guidelines, tech standards, and easy-to-use tips and tools to improve sleep.
For more information about NSF, visit www.theNSF.org │ SleepHealthJournal.org