Survey Shows A Majority Of This Specific Generation Lies Awake At Night Thinking About Money Problems
It's hard to relax when you're worried about your finances.
New Africa | Shutterstock Between the rising cost of living, the abysmal job market, and the constant political turmoil, it's no wonder that people are letting anxiety keep them up at night. But it seems money troubles have one generation struggling with insomnia more than others, at least according to a recent survey from Amerisleep.
Amerisleep, a mattress company, conducted its "Sleepless Over the Economy" survey, in which it asked over 1,000 Americans how financial stress is affecting their sleep. It turns out, while many of us are losing sleep over financial concerns, young people might be feeling it the most.
A survey found that the majority of Gen Z lie awake at night thinking about money problems.
Lysenko Andrii | Shutterstock
According to the survey, approximately 69% of Gen Zers are tossing and turning at night thinking about money. Nearly half of Americans (47%) said their sleep has gotten worse since the start of tariffs in 2025, with younger generations (52%) feeling it the most.
Gen Z respondents were the most likely to lose sleep over job security (47%), compared to millennials (38%) and Gen X (35%). Gen Z also topped concerns over housing and rent costs (47%), showing that financial worries were hitting this generation the hardest. On top of that, 68% of Gen Z respondents admitted to checking their bank balances before going to bed.
An estimated 64% of Gen Z even said they've woken up in the middle of the night due to financial stress, while 49% of Gen Z had made financial decisions late at night due to anxiety. While it's good to stay on top of your finances and make sure you're aware of the amount of money in your bank account, checking it before bed might be the biggest reason for the constant money worries that are keeping Gen Zers up at all hours of the night.
Gen Z is doing its best to combat the rising cost of living.
According to a 2025 study by Bank of America, entitled "Better Money Habits," about half (51%) of Gen Z respondents reported that the high cost of living is a barrier to financial success. Total monthly spending is higher than they had anticipated, particularly for everyday expenses such as groceries, rent, utilities, and dining out.
Basically, the current state of the economy, combined with the limited earning potential, has made it nearly impossible for young people to live independently, let alone save. Is it any wonder they're unable to sleep at night?
Gen Zers, however, are proving their resilience. They are trying to save money where they can. An estimated 72% took steps to improve their financial health, such as putting money toward savings (51%) or paying down debt (24%), while nearly two-thirds (64%) focused on reducing expenses like going out for fun or indulging in their favorite takeout.
Gen Z needs to get better at managing their money stress so it doesn't impact their health.
There's really only so much that Gen Zers can do to ensure that they're not only taking care of their finances but not letting it control their lives. At some point, we have to realize that lying awake at night worrying about finances is only going to make things worse. There are definitely better ways to manage your finances without stressing yourself out.
Some of those ways include setting strict hours during the day to tackle any financial worries you may have, such as budgeting and checking account balances. Setting realistic goals for yourself also helps, such as setting actionable savings goals for each month.
However, regardless of age or generation, you shouldn't let money troubles be the reason your sleep and overall well-being suffer. It's all about finding balance between what you can and can't control. Your physical and mental health is important. You can't improve your finances if you aren't at your best.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
