Gap Between Clinical Sleep Science and Public Sleep Culture
Psychology Today | 17.11.2025 05:51
Sleep has become a public culture priority. The sleep industry now exceeds $68 billion. Nearly half of adults report insomnia symptoms at some point. Chronic insomnia means difficulty falling or staying asleep at least three nights per week for at least three months, with daytime consequences and/or significant distress. About 1 in 3 Americans uses a wearable device to track sleep, suggesting the public truly values sleep.¹ While this attention is encouraging given the importance of sleep, many popular ideas about sleep drift away from what clinical science actually supports.
