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Sleep is a struggle for most Andalusians but small changes may help
New data show that only a small minority sleep through the night, with screens, interruptions and medication all playing a part
For many people in Andalucía, a good night’s sleep feels more like a luxury than a daily habit. According to the 2025 Social Survey on Well being and Quality of Life, carried out by the Institute of Statistics and Cartography of Andalucía, only 18.6% of the population manages to sleep uninterrupted all night. That means the vast majority wake up once or several times, with 33.5% saying they wake up every single time they go to bed.This pattern is not just about occasional restlessness; it is a consistent feature of daily life for a large part of the region. Many will recognise that feeling of lying awake, watching the clock, and then waking up still tired. The impact shows in people’s sense of wellbeing too: only 37.3% of Andalusians say they always wake up feeling rested. The rest wake up as if they haven’t properly recovered, even after several hours in bed.
Health research underlines why this matters. Studies published in journals such as Sleep and The Lancet show that poor sleep quality increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and cognitive problems, as well as weakening the immune system. Work in The Lancet Neurology, for example, has linked long term lack of sleep with a higher chance of stroke and neurodegenerative conditions, while Sleep has shown that regularly sleeping fewer than six hours can raise the risk of high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome.
The World Health Organisation also warns that inadequate rest is closely tied to anxiety, depression and other emotional issues, calling sleep an essential pillar of mental health.
Daily habits help explain some of these patterns. Over half of Andalusians, 53.3%, use a screen, such as a phone, tablet or TV, before going to sleep. Among 16 to 24 year olds, that figure climbs to 72.7%, compared to 42.9% in the 45 54 age group. Research from Harvard Medical School has found that this kind of evening screen use lowers melatonin production and disrupts the body’s internal clock, making it much harder to fall asleep and stay in deep sleep.
Medication and natural remedies are another piece of the picture. Around 11.6% of people in the region take some kind of sleep aid on a regular basis, even though many say they rarely need anything. Experts caution that these solutions do not always fix the root causes and, in some cases, can lead to dependence.
Women in Andalucía are particularly affected. Nearly 37.6% of them wake up every night, compared with 29.3% of men, and they are more likely to use sleep aids (15.5% versus 7.6%). As a result, only 32.2% of women report waking up rested every time, compared with 42.5% of men. For those who wake up several times a night, the day can start on the back foot.
Addressing sleep may not be a miracle cure, but adjusting routines, such as switching off screens earlier, watching caffeine and choosing when to use medication, could make a noticeable difference to how people feel each morning.
You might also like: Why you should never sleep with the fan on all night
Image: Sammy-Sander/Pixabay
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