The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines recommend adults ages 18 to 60 get seven hours or more of sleep per night. Decline in sleep quality can lead to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or any number of physical and mental health ailments.
In a new study of the 10 best and worst cities for sleep based on environmental factors, Raleigh ranked number two on the list for one of the best cities for sleep.
Several factors were considered in compiling these lists:
- Air Pollution
- Air quality measured by amounts of fine particulate matter of less than 2.5 micrometers that are suspended in the air for a 24-hour period (PM 2.5) by city in 2021
- Light Pollution
- Light pollution, adjusted for land areas within each city, measured in spectral radiance (nW/cm²/sr)
- Noise Pollution
- Road noise data, adjusted for land areas within each city, measured in adjusted decibels (dBA)
- Physical Activity
- Overall prevalence of physical activity by state, as reported by the CDC
- Short Sleep Duration
- Overall prevalence of short sleep duration by state, as reported by the CDC
See what other US cities made the list here.