In 2024, the Eight Sleep community reached new heights in sleep optimization, with insights from 215 million hours of sleep revealing patterns in sleep fitness, temperature preferences, and global sleep behaviors. By leveraging the power of personalized data and cutting-edge technology, Eight Sleep continues to empower members to unlock the full potential of restorative sleep. Let’s explore the science behind this year’s milestones.
A community achievement: 215 million hours of sleep
This year, the Eight Sleep community logged an incredible 215 million hours of sleep—the equivalent of approximately 24,527 years of continuous rest. This unparalleled dataset highlights Eight Sleep’s transformative impact on optimizing rest and recovery for members worldwide, providing the foundation for improved performance and overall well-being.
Key sleep metrics from 2024
Average Sleep Fitness Score
The community achieved an average Sleep Fitness Score of 80, reflecting high sleep quality, efficient recovery, and stable physiological metrics such as heart rate variability (HRV) and resting heart rate.
Sleep schedule insights
The community’s average bedtime of 10:59 PM and wake-up time of 7:14 AM aligned with natural circadian rhythms, regulating hormonal release, supporting metabolic health, and improving sleep efficiency. Consistent schedules enhance the body’s ability to achieve deeper sleep stages, crucial for recovery, memory, and emotional well-being.
Surprising gender and age insights
While sleep isn’t a competition, the 2024 data revealed some fascinating differences between men and women, as well as across various age groups:
Women in their 50s often face sleep challenges due to menopause-related symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. Eight Sleep data shows women in this group prefer cooler settings, aligning with the Pod’s ability to manage these disruptions and promote restorative sleep.
Meanwhile, men’s temperature preferences shift as they age, warming steadily from their 40s onward. These trends underscore the importance of personalized solutions like the Pod, which adapts to evolving comfort and recovery needs across life stages.
Deep sleep: Women slightly outperformed men, with an average deep sleep percentage of 18.50% compared to men’s 18.45%. These extra moments in deep sleep contribute to enhanced recovery and cognitive performance.
Sleep duration: Women logged more sleep, averaging 443 minutes per night (7 hours, 23 minutes), compared to men’s 429 minutes (7 hours, 9 minutes). Hormonal cycles and recovery needs may explain this difference.
Sleep quality: Women achieved a higher average Sleep Fitness Score of 80.5, edging out men’s 79.0, reflecting superior recovery and consistency.
Though the gaps are small, they underscore the importance of personalized recovery approaches tailored to physiological and hormonal needs.
Age-based sleep patterns
Gen Z (18-24 years) is all about midnight vibes, averaging a bedtime of 11:58 PM. Their nocturnal tendencies align with life stages characterized by social activity, academic commitments, and emerging careers, pushing sleep into later hours.
The 60 year-old crew woke up bright and early at 6:46 AM on average, a natural alignment with age-related circadian rhythm changes.
How age shapes sleep behaviors
These patterns reveal how life stages and physiological changes impact sleep behaviors. While younger generations embrace the flexibility of late nights, older adults align more with their biological clocks.
Best Sleep Fitness Score by age group
The 40-49 age group achieved the highest average Sleep Fitness Score of 80% in 2024. This demographic likely prioritizes recovery and consistency, balancing work, family, and personal health goals. Their focus on restorative habits showcases how intentional effort can optimize sleep quality and performance.
Global sleep behaviors: Insights from 2024
The way we sleep is shaped by our surroundings, lifestyles, and cultural norms. In 2024, Eight Sleep community data revealed fascinating regional patterns that reflect the diversity of sleep habits and challenges across the world.
Temperature preferences
Coolest sleepers: Puerto Rico favored the coldest settings, averaging, and leveraging cooler temperatures to boost deep and REM sleep.
Hottest sleepers: Belgium embraced warmer settings, likely influenced by the region’s cooler climate and the need to create a cozy, comfortable sleeping environment. These preferences highlight how local weather patterns and seasonal temperatures can shape sleep habits, prioritizing warmth for relaxation and rest.
Highest Sleep Fitness Scores by city
1st place: Brussels, Belgium with a 83 average Sleep Fitness Score
2nd place: Gold Coast, Australia with a 82 average Sleep Fitness Score
3rd place: Denver, CO, US with a 81 average Sleep Fitness Score
Sleep timing extremes
Regions also revealed intriguing sleep timing patterns influenced by their environments. Bucharest, Romania, averaged a 1:00 AM bedtime, reflecting its vibrant nightlife and urban lifestyle. Meanwhile, Stillwater, Minnesota, led with the earliest bedtime at 9:56 PM average, highlighting a community focused on routine and sleep hygiene.
The UAE and Las Vegas share the lowest Sleep Fitness Score of 77, tied to late bedtimes and irregular schedules, reflecting night owl lifestyles. The UAE with an average of 11:53 PM bedtime, the second latest globally after Romania highlights the impact of modern lifestyles on sleep quality.
In contrast, Gold Coast, Australia, balances active living with recovery, boasting an average earlier 10:30 PM bedtime and the second highest Sleep Fitness Score of 82. These differences highlight how routines shape sleep quality and readiness for the day ahead.
Cities that never sleep (in the US)
New York City, USA: Known as “The city that never sleeps”, is the city in the US with the latest average bedtime of 11:27 PM, reflecting its fast-paced lifestyle and relentless energy, making it a hub for night owls.
Honolulu, Hawaii: Despite its laid-back island vibe, Honolulu stands out for sleeping the least among US cities, with residents averaging just 7 hours of rest per night. This could be influenced by early-morning routines, perhaps due to early mornings chasing waves or outdoor activities at sunrise.
Cultural trends: Barcelona’s napping culture
Barcelona, Spain, led the world in nap frequency, boasting the highest number of sleep sessions per day. The city’s siesta tradition highlights the restorative benefits of short naps, which are scientifically proven to improve alertness, mood, and cognitive performance.
Scientific takeaways for optimized sleep
Temperature matters
Cooler environments promote longer deep and REM sleep phases, as demonstrated by Puerto Rico’s settings.
Consistency is key
Routine wake-up times, as seen across age groups, align with the body’s natural circadian rhythms, enhancing both sleep quality and daytime performance.
Gender-specific insights
Women’s higher Sleep Fitness Scores showcase the importance of tailored approaches to recovery, particularly for hormonal balance and stress management.
Looking ahead: A vision for 2025
The 2024 data demonstrates the diverse ways individuals approach sleep across the globe. From optimizing temperature to embracing cultural traditions like siestas, the Eight Sleep community proves that prioritizing rest can unlock peak performance.
As we move into 2025, Eight Sleep remains dedicated to advancing sleep science and empowering individuals to achieve their health and performance goals through better sleep.
Make 2025 your year of sleep fitness
Join the Eight Sleep community today and take the first step toward healthier, more restorative sleep.
