Most Sleep-Deprived US Cities and Those Where Sleepyheads Live

Scott LaFee on Aug 26, 2026

It's estimated that roughly 15% of Americans have trouble falling asleep, and 18% say they struggle to stay asleep. Innerbody, a health and wellness platform, crunched federal data and other sources to identify the top five most sleep-deprived cities in the U.S.

1. Norfolk, Virginia

2. New Orleans, Louisiana

3. Detroit, Michigan

4. Toledo, Ohio

5. Cincinnati, Ohio

The top 5 cities where residents tend to get a good night's sleep:

1. Minneapolis, Minnesota

2. Seattle, Washington

3. San Jose, California

4. Madison, Wisconsin

5. Boise, Idaho

So why do people sleep better in some places than others? Some factors include local noise and light pollution, higher prevalence of stress, lack of physical activity and higher obesity rates.

Body of Knowledge

The average person flexes their finger joints 25 million times in a lifetime.

Get Me That, Stat!

Provisional data from the National Center for Health Statistics estimates 3,094,593 people in the United States died in 2025, a death rate of 689.2 per 100,000, or a 4.6% decrease from 2024. It's a record low.

The top three estimated causes of death in 2025 were heart disease (694,708 deaths), cancer (622,832 deaths) and unintentional injuries (184,265 deaths).

Doc Talk

Hepaticocholangiocholecystenterostomy: One of the longest words in the English language and a highly specialized surgical procedure that involves creating a new link from the liver and bile ducts to the gallbladder and the gallbladder to the intestine, allowing bile to flow properly when the main pathway is blocked.

Mania of the Week

Sophomania: The delusion that one is incredibly intelligent. It's particularly common among politicians and writers of health columns.

Best Medicine

A man wasn't feeling well, so he asked his wife to take him to the emergency room.

After examining him, the ER doctor took his wife aside and said, "Your husband's heart is in a much-weakened state. I'm afraid he won't survive long unless you treat him like a king, which means being at his beck and call, 24/7. He should not exert himself in any way."

On the way home, the husband asked his wife what the doctor told her.

"He said it looks like you probably won't make it," she said.

Observation

"To be stupid, selfish and have good health are three requirements for happiness, though if stupidity is lacking, all is lost." -- French novelist Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880)

Medical History

This week in 1973, the first scan was made using computer-assisted tomography, which combines X-rays with computer processing to create detailed, cross-sectional images of your internal organs, bones and blood vessels. More than 93 million CT scans are performed each year in the U.S.

Self-Exam

Q: If somebody says you have a nice orbicularis oris, what's that all a pout?

A: The answer is in the question. The orbicularis oris is the primary muscle responsible for closing and puckering the lips. It's a continuous band encircling the mouth. When it contracts, it pulls the lips tightly together.

Curtains Call

Li Po, a famous 8th-century poet and courtier, reportedly tried to kiss the reflection of the moon in the waters beside the boat in which he was traveling. Po was heavily intoxicated, accidentally toppled overboard and drowned.

Po's legendary death may, in fact, be simple legend. Historical records suggest the poet died of natural causes or possibly alcohol poisoning. Too many Blue Moons?

========

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.