Study ranks worst cities in US for sleep health

A recent study by US News & World Report's 360 Review has ranked the 10 worst cities for sleep health in the US, with Fresno, California, featuring on the list.

If you’re looking for a good night’s sleep, you might want to avoid Fresno, California, according to a recent study by US News & World Report’s 360 Review.

The study ranked the 50 most populated cities in the US on various factors affecting sleep health, such as air, light, and noise pollution, physical activity, and short sleep duration. Fresno ranked in the top 10 worst cities for sleep health, alongside Philadelphia, Miami, Detroit, New York, Memphis, Chicago, Washington, Boston, and Long Beach.

However, the study also highlighted the top five cities for good sleep health: Austin, Raleigh, Fort Worth, San Diego, and Colorado Springs.

According to Dr. Michael Gallo, a sleep medicine physician at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, where you live can have an impact on your sleep, both positively and negatively. Living in a busy city with more distractions may mean there are more temptations to delay bedtime, but suppressing these temptations and creating a cool, dark, and quiet bedroom environment can lead to better sleep quality.

Other factors that may impact sleep health include altitude, cost of living, stress, work, and commuting, according to Dr. Steven Feinsilver, director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital.