Healthy sleep is often viewed as a matter of personal responsibility — setting a consistent bedtime, avoiding caffeine and limiting screen time before bed. While these individual habits are important, new research led by researchers at RAND and the University of Pittsburgh suggests that the neighborhoods we live in play a significant role in shaping sleep health. The study addresses the emerging concept of “sleep deserts” which highlights how socioeconomic factors can make restorative sleep harder to achieve, particularly in underserved communities.

Similar to food deserts — areas where access to nutritious food is limited — sleep deserts are neighborhoods where conditions such as safety concerns, lack of green spaces and exposure to environmental pollutants create barriers to healthy sleep. These challenges disproportionately affect low-income and minority communities, where years of disinvestment have left residents with fewer resources and less infrastructure to support overall health. Neighborhood disinvestment often leaves communities with fewer resources to support healthy lifestyles, including safe spaces for physical activity, access to nutritious food and environments conducive to sleep. Public investments in infrastructure, safety and green spaces are not merely cosmetic — they are essential tools for improving health and reducing disparities.

The study focused on two urban, low-income and predominantly Black neighborhoods in Pennsylvania. Researchers examined how public investments in these communities might impact sleep health over time. Between 2013 and 2016, several neighborhood improvements were made, including park renovations, housing redevelopment and the creation of community spaces. The research team used wristworn actigraphy devices to track sleep patterns and recorded residents’ proximity to neighborhood investments.

The findings revealed that residents living closer to these investments — within 0.1 miles — experienced smaller declines in sleep efficiency and smaller increases in wakefulness after sleep onset compared to those living farther away. While sleep outcomes worsened overall during the five-year study period — a finding not surprising to the researchers as the study population was aging — those living closer to investments showed less negative changes in sleep. These results suggest investing in neighborhoods may partially offset age-related deterioration in sleep. Proximity to neighborhood improvements appeared to mitigate some of the negative effects.

This research challenges the notion that sleep health is driven solely by individual behaviors. Socioeconomic factors — such as the physical and social conditions of neighborhoods — play a critical role in shaping sleep outcomes. For residents in underserved communities, healthy sleep isn’t just about personal routines; it’s about living in an environment that supports rest and recovery. Poor sleep is a known risk factor for preventable chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and depression, and addressing sleep disparities has the potential to prevent or reduce these health challenges.

Across Baltimore, public and private investments are being directed toward neighborhood revitalization, affordable and mixed-income housing, improved infrastructure, new community facilities and expanded green spaces. These efforts aim to create safer, healthier and more vibrant neighborhoods, especially in areas that have experienced long-term disinvestment. Such investments not only support economic growth and opportunity but also address the underlying social and environmental factors that shape health outcomes — including sleep.

As Baltimore continues to transform, city leaders, planners and public health advocates should recognize that healthy sleep is a community issue, not just an individual one. By addressing sleep deserts through thoughtful investment and revitalization, Baltimore can help ensure that all residents — regardless of neighborhood — have the opportunity to rest well, live well and contribute to a more prosperous city.

In short, healthy sleep isn’t just about what happens in the bedroom — it’s about what happens in the neighborhood. By addressing sleep deserts through thoughtful and community-informed investments, we can help ensure that everyone has the opportunity to rest well, live well, and age well.

Wendy Troxel, a Maryland native, is a senior behavioral and social scientist at RAND Corporation, an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh and University of Utah, and author of “Sharing the Covers: Every Couple’s Guide to Better Sleep.”