In Louisiana, 41% of adults reported getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night on average, according to Louisiana County Health Rankings.
Insufficient sleep, defined as getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night on average, can severely impact the body and its health.
In the short term, a lack of adequate sleep can affect judgment, mood, ability to learn and retain information, and may increase the risk of serious accidents and injury, according to Harvard Medicine’s Division of Sleep Medicine.
If lack of sleep persists, people are more likely to develop long-lasting conditions including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even early mortality.
Claiborne and East Carroll have the highest rate of insufficient sleep among adults with 48% reporting less than 7 hours of sleep per night on average.
Claiborne and East Carroll are followed in the rankings, in descending order, by:
- Madison and Tensas parishes with 47% adults reporting less than 7 hours of sleep per night on average;
- Morehouse Parish with 46% adults reporting less than 7 hours of sleep per night on average;
- and Bienville, Red River and St. John the Baptist parishes with 45% adults reporting less than 7 hours of sleep per night on average.
Beauregard Parish adults, on average, get the most sleep each night with just 37% of adults reporting fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night.
Beauregard Parish is followed in the Louisiana rankings, in ascending order, by:
- Acadia, Lafayette and Livingston parishes with 38% of adults reporting less than 7 hours of sleep per night on average
- and Allen, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Orleans, Tangipahoa and Vermillion parishes with 39% of adults reporting less than 7 hours of sleep per night on average.