Study Reveals Nighttime Gunshots Disrupt Sleep in Major U.S. Cities

Millions potentially affected annually, with low-income communities facing the greatest impact.

Nighttime gunshots in six major U.S. cities, including Boston, Baltimore, and New York, are twice as likely to occur at night, affecting millions with potential sleep disruption.
Low-income communities are disproportionately impacted by nighttime gunshots, with a higher prevalence and potential for sleep and other health disruptions.
The study, involving over 72,000 recorded gunshots from 2015 to 2021, estimates around 12.5 million instances annually of people being within earshot of gunfire at night.
Researchers aim to further study the effects of nighttime gunshots on sleep disturbances and design community-based interventions to support affected individuals.
The findings highlight gun violence as a significant, underexplored social determinant of sleep and population health, particularly in economically vulnerable neighborhoods.