The number of jobs that Ryan Seacrest holds — especially those big hosting gigs — has been marveled at for years. Between Wheel of Fortune (whose new season just premiered on the 2025 TV schedule), American Idol, his American Top 40 radio show and more, I’ve always wondered when the man finds time to sleep. Well, someone finally asked him that question.
Ryan Seacrest’s second season as the new host of Wheel of Fortune just started (with episodes now streaming next-day with a Hulu subscription or Peacock subscription) after taking over last year from Pat Sajak. Despite the game show adding to Seacrest’s already-full schedule, he assures fans that he is finding time to get some shut-eye, telling People:
I do sleep. Everyone asks me, do I sleep? It's like, I go to bed immediately, and I get a good night's sleep. But it's pretty jam-packed in between the sleeps.
In addition to hosting one of the best game shows of all time and the other shows mentioned above, Ryan Seacrest has also published a children’s book, The Make-Believers, works with pediatric hospitals through his Ryan Seacrest Foundation and hosts the weekly syndicated radio show On Air with Ryan, among other things, so yes, one can see how his waking hours might quickly be filled.
It makes sense, then, why he’d like to shorten the 15-minute breaks between Wheel of Fortune tapings to 9 minutes. Every second counts when you’re Ryan Seacrest.
As for falling asleep immediately to make sure he’s refreshed enough for the next activity-filled day, the New Year’s Rockin’ Eve host has a trick. He said:
I have a special pillow I travel with. So everywhere I am, I've got my own pillow that makes me fall asleep pretty easily.
That’s a pretty good idea, given how important it is for him to get his rest. Back in 2020, fans thought Ryan Seacrest was having a stroke when his face drooped and his speech started to slur during American Idol’s live finale. The host said his viral health scare was due to exhaustion, and in the years that followed, he reportedly got better at not overworking.
In fact, part of the reason he walked away from Live with Kelly and Ryan was allegedly to avoid the burnout of traveling back and forth between Los Angeles and New York.
Sleep is an important part of everyone’s health, but it seems especially important to get that mental and physical recovery when you’re as busy as Ryan Seacrest is — not to mention the physical toll Wheel of Fortune takes with contestants getting physical with him, his propensity to hit the floor to show off his breakdancing moves, and chasing after huge blocks of cheese.
I guess staying active helps the host stay awake, and I can definitely see how he can fall asleep the second his head hits his special pillow. I hope he’s rested up, because the new Wheel of Fortune season has just begun — with that new wedge on the wheel. Check your local listings to see when it plays in your area, or stream episodes the next day on Peacock or Hulu.
