- Just sixteen percent of Canadians reported getting a restful sleep every night of the week.
- Three in ten feel their ability to sleep is worse today than it was three years ago.
June 26, 2023
We asked Canadians about their sleep, to better understand the risk that poor sleep patterns pose to the health of Canadians. The results show Canadian sleep patterns appear to be trending downward, with three in ten saying their ability to sleep is worse now than three years ago. Sixteen percent say they are sleeping better, and fifty-two percent say their sleep ability to sleep is unchanged (52%).
Two thirds (68%) of Canadians get four or more nights of restful sleep in a typical week, while a third (32%) get three or less. Just 16% of Canadians felt they were getting a full seven nights of restful sleep per week.
Women are less likely than men to report getting four or more restful nights of sleep a week (64% of women versus 72% of men). Gen Z (75%) and Boomers (73%) were more likely than Gen X (62%) and Millennials (62%) to get 4 or more nights of restful sleep. Results are consistent across the country, but residents of Ontario and Quebec were slightly better rested (over 70% each, compared with approximately 60% in other provinces).
The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend that adults aged 18 to 64 obtain seven to nine hours of good-quality sleep on a regular basis. According to statistics Canada, insufficient sleep can lead to higher rates of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, mental and cognitive disorders, accidents, injuries, and irritability.
Two in ten Canadians (18%) say somebody has watched them stop breathing or choke/gasp during sleep while nearly three in ten (28%) identify as a loud snorer.
Canadians do appear to be making efforts to get enough sleep. Two in ten (22%) report having taken prescribed medication to help them sleep, and four in ten (38%) have used ‘over the counter’ sleep aids.
Results are from a survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and the Logit Group. The survey was conducted online between May 9th and May 10th with 1,234 Canadians, 18 years of age or older from the Logit Group’s Canadian Omnibus. Data were weighted based on the 2016 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect actual population distribution. As a non-probability sample a margin of error is not applied.
The questions asked were:
In a typical 7 day week, how many nights do you usually get a restful sleep?
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Do you snore loudly (loud enough to be heard through closed doors or your bed-partner elbows you for snoring at night)?
– Yes
– No
– I am unsure
Has anyone observed you stop breathing or choking/gasping during your sleep?
– Yes
– No
-I am unsure
Have you ever used medication to help you sleep?
– Prescribed medication
– “Over the counter” medication
– Yes
– No
– I am unsure
– Prefer not to say
Compared to three years ago, is your ability to sleep generally better, the same or worse?
– Better
– The same
– Worse
– Don’t know
For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner, Narrative Research – 902.493-3834, mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca
OR
Sam Pisani, Managing Partner, Logit Group – 416.629.4116, sam.pisani@logitgroup.com
Narrative Research (www.narrativeresearch.ca), is a leading public opinion and market research company headquartered in Canada. The company is certified as a WBE (Women Business Enterprise). As a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned research company, Narrative Research is dedicated to providing clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.
The Logit Group (https://logitgroup.com/) is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto, conducting large-scale projects for a variety of well-known research agencies and brands. Logit employs industry-best technologies across an array of methodologies, and is independent, experienced and quality-oriented.
Follow us on Twitter at @EveryNarrative and @LogitGroup
