<p>Abstract Poor sleep quality is associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment, increased hospitalization and mortality. Combining actigraphy with questionnaires effectively evaluates sleep. Age and sex shape both subjective sleep quality and objective actigraphic metrics; however, stratified estimates combining both approaches in Spanish adults are scarce. The aim of this study was to analyse the role of age and sex on sleep quality, in an age–sex stratified random sample of the general Spanish population. For this, it was carried out a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in Salamanca and Ávila (Spain). The study population included a sample of 500 people aged 25–65 years selected by stratified random sampling by age and sex. Sleep quality was analysed using actigraphy and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index-PSQI. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were also studied. The results were that men obtained a lower mean PSQI score than women. By age group, the poorer subjective sleep quality corresponded to the 25-years group, whereas the 45-year group had the lowest PSQI scores. Actigraphy showed higher efficiency in women. Men had more WASO, more awakenings and higher fragmentation. Midlife groups (35–45 years) showed lower efficiency and higher WASO. Trial registration number: NCT05324267. </p>