Almost half of Israelis admit: "We don't sleep well"
A new survey by the Midgam Institute for Garmin and ynet reveals how much Israelis sleep, how often they wake up at night, and how satisfied they are with the quality of their sleep. Also: how many of us are already using technology to understand what happens while we sleep?
In collaboration with Garmin. We spend almost a third of our lives sleeping, but for many Israelis, this time is not necessarily continuous or satisfying. A new survey conducted by the Midgam Consulting and Research Institute, led by Mano Geva, for Garmin and ynet, outlines the sleep picture of Israelis: how many hours we sleep, how we rate our sleep quality, how many times we wake up during the night, and whether we use smartwatches, apps, and other accessories to track sleep data.
The survey was conducted among a representative sample of 502 Israelis aged 18 and over and reveals an interesting gap: while most of the public sleeps between six and seven hours a night, almost half of Israelis are not satisfied with their sleep quality.
6.6 hours a night: is it enough?
According to the survey, Israelis sleep an average of 6.6 hours a day. 62% of respondents sleep between six and seven hours a night: 29% sleep six hours and 32% sleep seven hours. Conversely, 17% of the public settle for five hours of sleep or less, and only 19% sleep between eight and nine hours. The data indicates that for a significant part of the public, a relatively short night is not an unusual event but a routine.
However, the number of hours alone does not tell the whole story. Sleep duration does not necessarily indicate its continuity, the degree of recovery, or the feeling in the morning. According to Dr. Anat Arzi, from the Department of Medical Neurobiology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, although there is a general recommendation of about eight hours of sleep, the need varies from person to person.
"There are people who need nine hours to think sharply, and there are those for whom five hours are enough," she explains. "What really matters is the gap between the amount of sleep a person naturally needs and the amount of sleep they actually get." According to her, when sleep deprivation accumulates over time, it can have significant consequences for physical health and emotional regulation.
Not enough recovery time
55% of respondents defined their sleep quality as good, but only 6% said it was "very good." In contrast, 45% defined their sleep as not good. Sleep quality is a complex experience that depends on continuity, the time of falling asleep, and the stages of sleep.
"Quality sleep is first and foremost continuous sleep," explains Dr. Arzi. "If sleep is fragmented, even if we spent many hours in bed, it will be less high-quality. In addition, it is important that it includes periods of deep sleep (Slow Wave Sleep), during which a significant part of the body's and brain's recovery processes occur."
According to Ofir Kindler, VP of Marketing at Ronlight Health, the official importer of Garmin, measuring sleep quality is not based only on sleep duration. "The watch examines how many times we woke up, the different stages of sleep — light, deep, and REM sleep — and also movement during the night. The weighting of all these data allows the user to be given a sleep score that presents a broader picture of the quality of rest."
The screen goes to bed with us
According to the survey, 90% of Israelis use screens during the hour before sleep, and 68% continue to use them until a quarter of an hour before falling asleep. The data points to a connection between the distance from the screen and sleep quality: among those who fall asleep while using a screen, only 38% rated their sleep quality as good, compared to 65-67% among those who stop using screens half an hour to an hour before sleep.
83% wake up at least once a night
One of the most prominent data points is that 83% of the public wake up at least once during the night. 40% wake up once on average, 36% wake up between two and three times, and only 17% report that they do not wake up at all. As age increases, so does the frequency of awakenings. Parenthood may also have an impact: 26% of respondents who do not have children reported that they sleep a whole night, compared to only 13% of parents.
When asked what phenomena they experience after a night of not-good sleep, 73% mentioned fatigue, 29% difficulty concentrating, 28% headaches, 28% irritability, and 25% low mood. Almost a quarter of respondents (24%) noted a decrease in functioning at work or studies.
Sleep accessories and technology
Alongside smartwatches and apps, more and more people are using accessories designed to improve the sleep environment — from eye masks and earplugs to temperature regulation. 34% of respondents noted that external noise disturbs their sleep, and 32% reported that heat or cold makes it difficult for them to sleep.
Most Israelis (81%) still do not monitor their sleep. Only 9% use a smartwatch, 7% an app on the phone, 2% a ring or smart bracelet. Men use a smartwatch to track sleep at a higher rate than women (13% compared to 6%).
"We expect that artificial intelligence capabilities will be integrated more and more into the analysis of sleep data, and will help turn raw information into personal recommendations," summarizes Ofir Kindler. "The better one knows their personal habits, the easier it is to make small changes that can affect the quality of life."
