Utah ranks 16th among states for insufficient sleep, according to the latest America's Health Rankings report. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said lack of sleep is linked to the development of chronic diseases and conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and depression.
While Utah's "sleep ranking" has improved slightly over recent years, Dr. Ravi Johar, chief medical officer for UnitedHealtcare, said consistency is key to better sleep.
"That's something that's really important," he said. "Just having a routine, whether it's brushing your teeth, changing into pajamas, doing some kind of activity before you go to sleep - yoga, listening to music, reading - setting your alarm for the same time every day."
Johar said adults between ages 18 and 60 need seven to nine hours of sleep every night. People in their early 60s need just a bit less, around seven to eight hours - and those 65 and older need about seven hours of sleep.
The report also highlighted some interesting findings. Folks with annual household incomes of less than $25,000 are getting significantly less sleep than those who make $75,000 or more. Men also get less sleep than women. Johar said if you think the issues keeping you awake are more serious than merely changing your nighttime routine, you should contact your medical provider.
"Sometimes, there may be underlying medical problems that are making it difficult for you to sleep," he said, "and the other thing that's really important that people don't realize is how much stress and behavioral health issues can factor into their sleep."
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, insufficient sleep is also associated with reduced productivity. The group said 40% of adults report falling asleep during the day - without meaning to - at least once a month.
