Britons miss more than a WEEK of work because of sleep problems - but do NOTHING about it



Sleep deprivation: one in three Britons experiencing problems with sleep



 

BRITONS miss a staggering amount of work because of sleep problems but are not prepared to do anything about it.

 

Even though one in three Britons experience poor sleep at some point in their lives, 60 per cent of these people do not remedy the situation - preferring to put up with sleepless nights.

The poor sleepers - those who reported their sleep as below average - missed a shocking 14.6 DAYS of work every year, almost twice as many as the average employee.

On top of the days missed, the research showed that poor sleep is a “productivity killer.” 

 



The research shows workers are less productive after a bad night's sleep



 

Concentration levels, ability to complete work and staying awake were the top three issues affecting the British workforce after a bad sleep.

A restless night’s sleep also negatively impacts Brit’s personal lives. Respondents said they lacked energy, experienced more bad moods and arguments with loved ones.

More staggering, one out of five respondents also reported they had fallen asleep while driving in the last year - putting their lives at risk. 

 



One out of FIVE respondents also reported that they had dangerously fallen asleep while driving



 

Today marks the shortest day off the year and means a seasonal shift in sleep quality reveals digital medicine company Big Health, who commissioned the World Sleep Survey.

Colin Espie, co-founder of Big Health and professor of sleep medicine at the University of Oxford, said: “As we enter the winter months, it’s important that we recognise the widespread effects poor sleep has on our lives.

“Sleep affects us on various levels - mentally, emotionally and physically - so when we have had no or insufficient sleep, we feel the consequences.

 

Experts say employers need to take notice in order to have a more productive, healthier workforce

 

“Physically we will feel lethargic and sleepy, mentally we become slowed down with poorer concentration and memory, and emotionally we may become irritable and rather down, with bursts of hyperactivity.”

Overall, sickness absence and working-age ill health, including poor sleep, currently costs the UK economy £100billion a year, according to a study from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The founders of Big Health say companies have to “wake up to sleep” in order to improve the effectiveness of their workforce and general health as a result.