According to new data, the desert is where stress goes to sleep. Sleep Cycle data reveals that Phoenix reports the lowest percentage of stressful sleep notes out of the largest U.S. cities at just 6.47%—even lower than famously laid-back San Diego.
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What’s more, Phoenix sleepers still report solid sleep quality at 72.99% (a score based on time in bed, deep sleep, motion, etc.), placing them ahead of major metros like Houston and San Antonio.
Could the dry air, slower pace, or lack of late-night subway rides be the secret?
According to Sleep Cycle data, when it comes to overall sleep quality, San Diego, CA claims the crown with a score of 73.82%, edging past every other major U.S. city. Not far behind, though, are East Coast contenders like New York City (73.42%) and Philadelphia (73.72%). But dig a little deeper, and another pattern emerges. Sleep quality is only part of the story. When factoring in the frequency of people using the sleep note “Stressful day”, West Coast cities begin to pull ahead.
● Phoenix, AZ, for example, has one of the lowest sleep quality scores in the dataset (72.99%), but also reports the least amount of stressful sleep—just 6.47% of recorded sessions.
● San Diego also performs well in this category, with only 7.32% of sessions marked by stress.
● Meanwhile, East Coast cities like Philadelphia show a higher stress rate (9.12%), despite having high-quality sleep overall (73.72%).
So what does this mean for the “best coast” title? While East Coast cities may be sleeping slightly better on paper, West Coasters appear to be sleeping easier—with less stress impacting their rest. It’s a subtle but important distinction in how sleep is experienced, not just measured. Which coast really is the best coast? When it comes to sleep, the West may just be the most well-rested. Here is a look at the top largest U.S. Metros and how they sleep according to Sleep Cycle data:
| Best Overall Sleep | High Sleep Quality, But Higher Stress | Lowest Sleep Quality | Least Stressed Sleepers |
| San Diego, CA Sleep Quality: 73.82% Stressful Sleep Notes: 7.32% | Philadelphia, PA Sleep Quality: 73.72% Stressful Sleep Notes: 9.12% | San Antonio, TX Sleep Quality: 71.43% Stressful Sleep Notes: 7.36% | Phoenix, AZ Sleep Quality: 72.99% Stressful Sleep Notes: 6.47% |
| New York, NY Sleep Quality: 73.42% Stressful Sleep Notes: 7.53% | Chicago, IL Sleep Quality: 73.51% Stressful Sleep Notes: 8.85% | Houston, TX Sleep Quality: 72.24% Stressful Sleep Notes: 7.78% | San Diego, CA Sleep Quality: 73.82% Stressful Sleep Notes: 7.32 |
