The Association Between Sexual Orientation and Sleep: A Meta-Analytic Review

The goal of the current meta-analytic review was to systematically examine whether sleep outcomes across several dimensions of sleep differ between lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) and heterosexual individuals, as well as to examine potential study-level moderators of these associations.

Systematic searches of PsycInfo, Medline, and PubMed databases were conducted to identify relevant observational studies published in English between January 1, 2000, and January 31, 2026. Studies were eligible if they reported an effect size comparing LGB and heterosexual groups on at least one measure of sleep.

This systematic search yielded a total of 44 studies with 69 effect sizes. Effect size data were analyzed using a random effects model. LGB individuals were more likely to report shorter sleep duration, longer sleep onset latency, and poorer sleep quality than heterosexual individuals (all p < 0.001). Effect sizes for associations between sexual orientation and sleep duration were larger in studies with more LGB women/girls, bisexual individuals, and racial/ethnic minority individuals (all p < 0.05).

These findings indicate that LGB individuals experience poorer sleep health than heterosexual individuals, and that sleep problems across different dimensions of sleep may be greater for LGB women/girls, bisexual individuals, and racial/ethnic minority individuals. These findings may help to explain mental health disparities among LGB individuals, and future studies should examine the role of minority stress in LGB sleep health.