IN OTHER NEWS – A new report ranks Georgia as the 10th worst state in the United States for burnout sufferers in 2024.

Release:

A new report from leading online sleep retailer, MattressNextDay, reveals the US states who are the most burnt out in 2024. Louisiana was revealed as the worst state for burnout sufferers, followed by West Virginia and Arkansas. 

In the last year, there has been a staggering 1.8 million* yearly Google searches for “side hustles” in the US, proving that many Americans are interested in working outside of the traditional 9-5 hours. 

With social media platforms integral to our daily lives, the content shared on these apps often shapes our perceptions and influences our behaviors. Consequently, social media has significantly contributed to America’s burnout phenomenon.

For example, #hustleculture has garnered 30.8 million** video views on TikTok, glamorizing 3am morning routines. It’s no wonder that more Americans are feeling exhausted. 

A new study conducted by MattressNextDay has revealed the ‘Burnout index’ which has uncovered the most burnt-out states across the US, taking factors into account such as searches for “side hustles”, average hours worked, entrepreneurial activity, and more. 

Louisiana tops the list as the state struggling the most from burnout 

Louisiana is officially the US state that suffers from burnout the most with a total index score of 62.11.  

Not only do residents here work the most hours on average, at around 36.2 hours a week, but it has the joint lowest positive sentiment for hustle culture, with a rating of zero; and the joint third highest cigarette usage, with 18.3% of the population having smoked in 2022. 

Following closely behind in second place is West Virginia, where the total index stands at 61.80. Like Louisiana, it has the joint least positive sentiment towards hustle culture, and 22.4% of its population smoked in 2022 – the most out of any other state.

Additionally, West Virginians work the third most weekly hours (35.5) and have the joint fourth highest mental health issues (20.7%). 

Rounding out the top three is Arkansas with a total burnout rate of 55.33. 17% of its population admitted to smoking in 2022 (the seventh most on our list), and it too, had a 0% positive sentiment towards the term “hustle culture”, suggesting that citizens are perhaps not too keen or understanding of people who run their own businesses on the side. 

The top 20 worst states for high levels of burnout: 

Rank	State	Avg Hours Worked (Weekly)	Employment Rate (%)	Mental Health Issues (%)	Cigarette Use (%)	New Business Activity (%)	“Side Hustle” Search Volume	“Hustle Culture” Positive Sentiment(%)	Total Score
1	Louisiana	36.2	96.4	18.3	18.0	0.41	13,500	0	62.11
2	West Virginia	35.5	96.6	20.7	22.4	0.20	4,470	0	61.80
3	Arkansas	34.8	97	17.8	17.0	0.37	9,720	0	55.33
4	Tennessee	35.1	96.6	19.2	16.7	0.33	28,300	23	54.48
5	Texas	35.8	96	15.7	11.9	0.47	132,500	30	54.40
6	North Dakota	35	97.9	19.1	14.7	0.21	2,190	0	54.40
7	Florida	34.1	97.4	15.8	11.6	0.60	106,000	41	53.91
8	Vermont	33.2	97.3	21.8	15.1	0.29	1,940	0	53.68
9	Maine	33.5	97.4	19.2	15.3	0.35	4,420	0	52.22
10	Georgia	34.5	96.9	16.6	14.5	0.46	58,500	28	51.72
11	Alabama	34.5	97.7	18.2	16.2	0.29	18,000	25	51.50
12	Mississippi	34.9	96.5	16.6	16.9	0.38	8,150	0	51.36
13	Kentucky	35	96.2	18.0	19.0	0.30	15,000	14	51.34
14	Iowa	34.4	97.2	20.2	14.4	0.19	10,840	0	51.32
15	South Dakota	33.7	98.1	18.1	14.5	0.30	2,410	0	50.73
16	Missouri	33.3	97.5	20.1	18.0	0.27	24,500	33	50.56
17	South Carolina	34.3	96.8	16.8	14.9	0.39	23,100	0	50.16
18	Oregon	33.7	95.6	21.8	12.4	0.37	41,700	20	49.11
19	California	34.2	95.6	17.1	8.6	0.47	189,500	42	48.94
20	Oklahoma	34.9	97	18.9	17.1	0.38	13,440	75	48.16

Commenting on the study, Senior Sleep expert and CEO of MattressNextDay, Martin Seeley, states: “Getting swept up into hustle culture can be all-too easy, and these stats are eye-opening in showing the states that are pushing themselves too far when it comes to work.  

“Stressing about work and how to strike the right work-life balance can ultimately have a detrimental impact on your sleep, which in turn can make the situation worse. Over time, prolonged sleep deprivation can disrupt your circadian rhythm, which can negatively affect your physical and mental health.  

But it can also impact your productivity too, with one study showing that a reduction of 1.5 hours in your sleep each night can reduce your alertness by 32% – not what you want to hear if you’re working on your side hustle alongside your day job.” 

“Side hustles are great for boosting your income, and enabling you to start your own business, but if you’re finding you’re constantly feeling stressed with deadlines and workloads, you can end up feeling even more anxious, angry, and even depressed. Plus, long-term sleep deprivation can cause other serious health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.” 

If you want to see where other US states ranked in the burnout index, you can view the full study here: https://www.mattressnextday.co.uk/snooze-news/post/revealed-the-us-states-that-battle-the-most-with-burnout

To make ensure you are getting a restful night’s sleep, check out our exclusive tips on how to buy a mattress alongside what to consider when buying a new bed to make sure you find the right choice for you.