Billings Adults Sleep Worse: Screen Habits, Work Patterns, Local Solutions

A Yellowstone County survey released in June found 58 percent of Billings adults now average under six and a half hours of sleep on weeknights, down from 7.1 hours reported in the same poll four years earlier.

The drop tracks with longer evening screen sessions and later dinner times that have become common since hybrid work spread through downtown offices along North 27th Street. Residents who once wrapped up tasks by 6 p.m. now answer emails past 9, pushing bedtime later and shortening the window for deep sleep stages that repair muscle and regulate mood.

Local patterns driving the change

Billings has an active wellness scene, yet many participants still struggle. The Billings Family YMCA on Grand Avenue runs evening yoga classes that finish at 8:30, after which members often scroll phones on the way home. Meanwhile the city’s Parks and Recreation department offers free guided walks along the Yellowstone River Trail three nights a week, but attendance logs show most walkers head straight to screens afterward rather than winding down.

Shift schedules at area energy firms and the nearby airport add another layer. Workers on rotating rosters report the largest gaps, with some logging only five hours between shifts during the bright summer months when daylight lingers past 9:30 p.m.

Evidence and workable steps

Centers for Disease Control data from 2024 showed Montana adults averaging 6.9 hours of sleep, with urban counties like Yellowstone posting higher rates of short sleep than rural ones. Locally, the county health department logged a 22 percent rise in sleep-aid prescriptions filled at Billings pharmacies between 2023 and 2025.

Small, consistent changes produce results. Setting a 9 p.m. device curfew and keeping the bedroom below 68 degrees helped participants in a four-week YMCA pilot cut wake-ups by half. The same program encouraged residents to swap late scrolling for a five-minute breathing exercise taught at the downtown library branch on 1st Avenue North. Those who attended at least three sessions reported falling asleep 18 minutes faster on average.

City health officials plan to expand the breathing workshops to the West End Community Center starting in August, with free mats and audio guides available for checkout. Residents noticing persistent fatigue are encouraged to speak with their primary-care provider at one of the Billings Clinic satellite offices before trying over-the-counter remedies.