Americans are using their vacation days to do something that should not require a getaway: get some much needed sleep. Forget the airport, expensive hotels, and packed itineraries. For a growing number of workers, the perfect day off involves staying home, turning off notifications, and getting some uninterrupted rest.
According to research from Amerisleep, 37% of surveyed Americans reported using paid time off specifically to catch up on sleep. The company’s June 2026 survey included 1,253 respondents, highlighting how rest has become a major priority for people balancing demanding schedules and personal responsibilities.
And millennials are leading the charge. Amerisleep found that 43% reported taking PTO for sleep, compared to 34% of Gen X, 33% of Gen Z, and 20% of baby boomers. The findings suggest that stepping away from work is not always about finding another adventure. Sometimes, people simply need a break from everything.
Back in September 2025, Rosie Osmun, a certified sleep science coach at Amerisleep, explained why the trend deserves attention.
“Burnout is so widespread that people are burning vacation days on basic recovery instead of new experiences. This shift shows that rest has become a necessity, not a luxury,” she told Newsweek.
That reality hits differently when you consider everything workers are managing outside their jobs. Between raising children, caring for relatives, maintaining relationships, paying bills, and keeping a household running, having a day with absolutely no obligations can feel like a luxury.
And there is actual science behind why taking a day to rest matters.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30.5% of U.S. adults slept fewer than seven hours daily in 2024. The findings also revealed a troubling disparity, with 40.2% of Black adults reporting insufficient sleep, compared to 28.9% of White adults.
Sleep deprivation goes beyond feeling tired during your morning commute. The CDC links insufficient sleep to several health concerns, including depression, obesity, and chronic health conditions. Getting consistent, adequate sleep supports physical health, emotional well-being, and everyday functioning.
Taking PTO for sleep can provide much needed breathing room. It creates an opportunity to slow down without another deadline waiting, another meeting starting, or someone expecting an immediate response.
And rest does not have to mean sleeping the entire day. Sometimes, recovery looks like waking up without an alarm, taking a peaceful walk, preparing a meal, reading, or enjoying silence without feeling pressured to be productive.
A 2025 analysis published in the Journal of Applied Psychology examined 32 studies and found that vacations can significantly improve employee well-being. Researchers also found that mentally disconnecting from work was particularly beneficial. Whether someone stays home or travels, having space to recover matters.
Still, the financial realities surrounding time off cannot be ignored.
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, expressed concern about the trend during his interview with Newsweek for their 2025 piece.
“It’s a worrying trend. America has historically been one of the worst countries when it comes to using PTO time, and given the economic uncertainty of the moment, that statistic more than likely won’t improve any time soon. Having to balance the personal and professional obligations can be exhausting, and as a result, more Americans have to tap into PTO time just to get adequate sleep more than using it for an actual vacation. The concern – obviously – is it indicates a society that is largely overworked and could actually lead to less effective work over time from those same employees.”
And not everyone even has the option to take a paid day off. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 71% of wage and salary workers had access to paid leave in 2024 and 2025. That leaves millions without the same financial flexibility to step away from work.
For workers who do have PTO, using it to rest should not come with guilt. Nobody should feel obligated to book a flight, post vacation pictures, or return to work with an elaborate story to justify taking time for themselves.
Thompson suggested that simpler vacations could become increasingly appealing.
“I quite often hear people say they need to ‘take a vacation from their vacation’ when they get back home. Some people feel like their vacations are more work than the actual vacation was supposed to be, leaving them drained even further. We may see people do more of a stay-cation where they can actually catch up on sleep without the stress of being on the go.”
However, taking PTO for sleep should not become the only solution to chronic exhaustion. The National Institutes of Health explains that occasional recovery sleep can help people feel better, but it cannot fully replace getting adequate sleep consistently.
That means protecting regular sleep schedules, setting boundaries around work, and recognizing when exhaustion has become an ongoing problem are just as important as scheduling occasional days off.
Employers have a responsibility here, too. The American Psychological Association emphasizes that workplaces should encourage employees to disconnect and actually use their time off, rather than treating constant availability as a measure of commitment.
Ultimately, choosing rest over a vacation is not a sign of laziness or a lack of ambition. A day spent sleeping, relaxing, and doing absolutely nothing can be a meaningful investment in your health. In a culture that constantly celebrates being booked and busy, sometimes the biggest flex is being well-rested.