It’s time to be your

Best Slept Self ^®

Every year, the National Sleep Foundation takes this time to reemphasize the important connection between your sleep and your health and well-being. We're here to help you become your Best Slept Self. Because deep, rejuvenating sleep is what we toss-and-turn about.

Learn about Sleep Awareness Week

Advancing sleep health for all

Why we do it?

The connection between sleep and health is real. It impacts every one of us. It’s why we conduct our Sleep in America^® Poll and release our findings to anyone who wants to know pretty much anything about sleep. During Sleep Awareness Week, we share valuable information on how people have been sleeping the past year, while offering research-based advice on the benefits of quality sleep and how it affects health and well-being.

What’s the National Sleep Foundation all about?

Short answer? Your sleep. We’ve been studying and reporting on it for over 30 years. It continues to be what springs us out of bed in the morning. Need a sleep aid? Consider us your go-to for daily habits and routines that lead to a healthier night’s sleep.

Get to know the NSF

Be your Best Slept Self

See a renewed you after taking small steps each day and night that make a big difference in sleep health.

Read how to get better sleep (PDF)

Discover NSF sleep resources

We break down our research results and translate all the scientific stuff into knowledge and advice you can apply to your daily sleep routine. You can start by reading some of our articles.

How is your sleep health linked to your mental health?

Hint: There’s a BIG connection between sleep and emotional well-being. Sleep is a critical part of your overall health. And the quality and quantity of your sleep […]

Learn more

A Healthy Night’s Sleep Starts the Moment You Wake Up

Did you know that a good night’s sleep starts with what you do during the day? In fact, from the moment you wake up, you’re affecting your sleep […]

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Healthy Sleep Starts Before You Hit the Sheets

When you aren’t sleeping well, you aren’t your best. A bad night of sleep leaves you with that head-in-the-clouds feeling the next day—fatigued, unfocused, […]

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Our blog articles cover a wide range of topics that relate to sleep health.

Read our Sleep Health Topics blog

The link between our sleep health and mental health

Each year, we survey American adults to find out the state of the nation’s sleep health. We've all been through a lot lately, so it's important for us to pay closer attention to our mental health and things that can affect our mood. In our 2023 Poll, we wanted to learn more about the significant association that sleep has with our mental health. Understanding the link between sleep health and depressive symptoms is important for taking steps or making changes that can improve overall health and well-being.

The nation’s sleep health is strongly associated with the nation’s mental health.

Over 90% of American adults with very good overall sleep health say they have no significant depressive symptoms.

SLEEP AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS

Almost 7 in 10 Americans (65%) who are dissatisfied with their sleep also experience mild or greater levels of depressive symptoms.

People with difficulties falling or staying asleep just 2 nights a week have higher levels of depressive symptoms than those without sleep difficulties.

NSF recommends 7-9 hours of sleep a night for most adults. 50% of all adults who sleep less than that recommendation also experience mild or greater levels of depressive symptoms.

Be your Best Slept Self^®

Over 90% of Americans who engage in high levels of healthy sleep behaviors like the NSF's Best Slept Self^® framework have no significant depressive symptoms.