Garmin has released an in-depth analysis of global sleep trends among its users to mark World Sleep Day 2025, and the results reveal some interesting insights.
While sleep quality is improving overall (for those wearing a Garmin watch, at least), there’s still plenty of room for better rest—especially, it seems, for those outside the elite athlete category.
According to Garmin’s latest data, published in detail on its blog, the average sleep score among its users improved from 70 to 72 in 2024.
However, the typical Garmin user only logs 6.5 hours of sleep per night—falling short of the general recommendation of 7-9 hours. The data also highlights significant variations on this based on age, geography, and activity levels.
Elite athletes, such as the top 1% of runners and cyclists, tend to sleep better than the general population, averaging a sleep score of 74. Garmin suggests this could be due to a greater focus on recovery and performance optimization.
Regionally, users in Iceland and Finland ranked as the world’s best sleepers, averaging a sleep score of 77. On the other end of the spectrum, though, users in Vietnam had the lowest average sleep score (67).
Meanwhile, the data shows sleep quality declines with age, with the 21-30 age group averaging a sleep score of 74, compared to just 68 for those over 70 years old.
The findings also challenge the notion that sleeping more equates to better rest. While users logging 8-8.5 hours of sleep had the highest average sleep score (78), those who slept 12 or more hours saw their scores drop to 64.
Whether these insights will lead to better sleep habits remains to be seen—it’s actually the kind of thing we’d like to see more front and center in Garmin Connect year-round. Whatever the case, it highlights that many of us could use a few extra Z’s—especially those in Vietnam.
