World Sleep Day 2021 Data Analysis:

By Leah Perri

In honor of World Sleep Month, SleepScore Labs performed a data analysis to compare various country’s total average sleep time with their World Happiness Index Score. The SleepScore team looked at data from 1,234,462 nights, from over 72,000 users in 26 countries.

SleepScore Labs looked at the World Happiness Index from 2020 which consolidates a number of factors into a single metric that represents the overall happiness of a nation.

As mood and sleep are often closely related, our theory was that those countries with the most sleep time would have higher Happiness Scores. When we’re well-rested, we’re often more relaxed, calm, and generally happier.

Who’s sleeping well and who’s happiest?

Our findings align with this thought and provide a new perspective on how impactful sleep might be when it comes to our happiness levels.

• At the top of the list, Finland gets 425 minutes (7 hours, 5 minutes) of sleep on average each night, and they have the highest Happiness Score of the countries we analyzed, a 7.8 (out of 10).
• On the low end, Japan gets 383 minutes (6 hours, 23 minutes) of sleep on average each night, with one of the lowest Happiness Score of 5.9.
• India has the lowest Happiness Score of just 4.0, and they also get lower than recommended total sleep time, 385 minutes (6 hours, 25 minutes).
• Not far from Japan, Singapore gets just 384 minutes (6 hours, 24 minutes) of sleep on average each night, with one of the lower Happiness Scores of 6.3.
• The US gets 407 minutes (6 hours, 47 minutes) of sleep on average each night, with a Happiness Score of 6.9.
• The US definitely has some room for improvement here, as experts recommend getting between 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

Luke Gahan, SleepScore’s data scientist and a member of Mattress Firm’s Sleep Advisory Board, explains the significance around an analysis of this kind.

“For this analysis, we can see clearly that users tracking sleep in countries that rank higher on the Happiness Index, and hence are considered happier people, spend more time in bed and sleep longer, as compared to users in countries that are lower ranked on the Happiness Index ranking,” he explains.

“It’s particularly exciting because while the relationship between self-reported sleep-quality and wellness has been well established in previous research, this research shows, for the first time, that there’s a tangible relationship between happiness, as quantified by the World Happiness Index, and objectively measured sleep, recorded by SleepScore sleep tracking technology,” noted Gahan

About SleepScore Labs

We’re the sleep science and improvement company changing the world by improving sleep, based on science and leading-edge technology. SleepScore Labs was founded in 2016 by a team of sleep experts from companies, institutions and organizations such as ResMed, Apple, Philips, and Harvard. Together, we enable leading companies and organizations to strengthen their health and wellness offerings, proven through better sleep. After studying over 70 million hours of sleep for over a decade, we created the world’s most comprehensive suite of services which help consumers improve their sleep and companies to improve their offerings in the space. Initially a Joint Venture between ResMed, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Pegasus Capital Advisors L.P, the company has grown to include other strategic partners and investors. Headquartered in Carlsbad, CA, with an office in Dublin, Ireland, we’ve developed SleepScore™ technology powered by ResMed to offer the world’s most accurate sleep app. SleepScore Labs’ ecosystem also provides data insights, product innovation and validation tools, and technology licensing opportunities for companies developing products and solutions aimed at improving the sleep of hundreds of millions of people.

SleepScore does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment through its service or its available functions. The content and service provided are intended solely as a resource and informational tool to improve your sleep. Always seek the advice of a physician or qualified health provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. For more information visit www.sleepscorelabs.com.