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In the Telegraph this week, it seems that Britons are sleeping nearly an hour less each night than we did two years ago.
The main cause of this is reported to be stress related and it is now estimated to be costing employers £1 billion per year with the increase in workers taking sick leave following a bad night’s sleep.
The research carried out by the Edinburgh Sleep Centre on behalf of Travelodge, it showed that of the 6,000 adults surveyed, more than half of the respondents claim that a lack of sleep causes an inability to concentrate at work.
In the desire to catch up on sleep, some 16% of us admit dozing at our desks and 10% even going to the toilets for forty winks.
The top three causes of sleep deprivation are listed as being money worries, work-related stress and noise.
Stevie Williams, from the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, said: "This research highlights that sleep deprivation is a growing problem in the UK.
"It's worrying to see the sleep debt and the number of sick days taken off due to sleep restriction has doubled in two years.
"Although we are coming out of recession Brits are still worried about money and work issues, which is fuelling this sleep disorder.
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Something related that's also worth noting.
Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent) is on the rise; it's associated with "lifestyle" factors like bad diet and lack of exercise.
It is also associated with lack of sleep.
Lack of sleep makes the body resistant to insulin, which is what type 2 diabetes is. The body then overproduces insulin to compensate.
(I almost never have enough sleep, and I'm going to have to smarten up, since I know I'm already at risk.)
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36959522/ns/health-diabetes/
Bad night's sleep can hamper body's insulin use
Study suggests link between insomnia and rise in diabetes
May 5, 2010
LONDON - Just one sleepless night can hamper the body's ability to use insulin to process sugar in the bloodstream, according to a study which scientists say might help explain why diabetes is on the rise.
Researchers said their findings suggest it may be no coincidence that while sleep duration has shortened in western societies in the past decade there has also been an increase in cases of "insulin resistance" and adult-onset diabetes.
"Our findings show a short night of sleep has more profound effects on metabolic regulation than previously appreciated," said Esther Donga, director of Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, who led the study published on Wednesday.
Type 2 diabetes is caused by the body's inability to adequately use insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, to control glucose sugar produced from food. Sugar levels rise and can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and major arteries.
The disease, linked to poor diet and lack of exercise, is reaching epidemic levels. An estimated 180 million people now suffer from diabetes around the world.
Previous studies have found that several nights of poor sleep can result in impaired use of insulin, but Donga said this was the first study to examine the effects of only a single bad night's sleep.
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I sleep like a log - as long as I don't go to bed too early!
Have sussed out that - in my own bed - I only need 6 hours sleep.
If I go to bed at 10pm - I wake up at 4am, and am shattered by 4pm - but daren't have a snooze - apart from being at work, if I did, I couldn't sleep at night.
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With the advent of the internet in the last 20 years (I can't believe that it's been that long) , I'm surprised that internet use is not the number 1 reason for not getting that extra couple of hours.
Deb
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