More than half of Americans are losing sleep over money issues

Nearly 78% of adults lose sleep over daily stresses like work and relationships, according to a new survey by Bankrate.com.

And more than half are tossing and turning at night over at least one money issue.

The biggest money stressors are everyday expenses, Bankrate.com analyst Ted Rossman said. He said it's troubling that 32 percent of U.S. adults are at least occasionally losing sleep over being able to meet those everyday expenses.

The other most common financial contributor to insomnia is saving for retirement, at 24%. Rossman said this makes sense because it's a big, lifelong challenge for most people.

Healthcare and insurance bills was next on the list. Rossman said this was interesting because this jumped 9 percentage points to 18% over the past year. Mortgage and rent payments (18%), educational expenses (11%) and stock market volatility (5%) round out the list.

Rossman said Gen-Xers are most likely to lose sleep over money — 64% are doing so. He said he believes it's because Gen-Xers are putting their own kids through high school and college and some expensive years. While doing this, they are also dealing with expenses related to their aging parents.

Millennials are more likely to lose sleep over work (39%) and relationships with friends (22%). Baby Boomers are more worried about health (41%) and politics (25%).

Women are more worried about money issues than men, as parents are more worried than non-parents, Rossman said.

Almost 63% of people struggling to get a good night's sleep are optimistic, however, they will be able to resolve their biggest issues, according to the survey. However, 51% of U.S. adults who are having trouble catching Zs primarily due to credit card debt say they are pessimistic about improving their situation.

Rossman said when a person is wrestling with a big issue, it's important to break it into manageable chunks. Devising a plan and starting to execute against it, piece by piece is the best way to get things done, Rossman said.

For money issues, that plan could include raising a person's income. Bankrate.com found that almost half of workers have a side hustle and are bringing in, on average, about $1000 extra a month.

Consider selling things that are not needed or used anymore. Find ways to cut expenses. Rossman said he's not talking about cutting out the daily coffee or bagel run. He's referring to the big-ticket stuff such as hefty car payments. Is there a way to get a cheaper, used car instead? Maybe reconsider taking a big expensive vacation. He said think about getting rid of those costly monthly subscriptions to gym memberships, premium cable channels, meal kit deliveries and more.

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