Recent UK Study Reveals Not Getting Enough Sleep Impacts Health

In the UK, over 30% of the population suffers from insomnia or another sleep disorder according to the Mental Health Foundation’s recent report Sleep Matters. The report details how “far from being a minor irritation, sleep disorders put sufferers at significantly greater risk of health problems ranging from depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder to immune deficiency and heart disease.”

Included in the report are results from the largest survey of the nation’s sleep, The Great British Sleep Survey, which shows that compared to people who sleep well, people with insomnia are:

• Four times as likely to have relationship problems
• Three times as likely to experience low mood
• Three times as likely to lack concentration during the day
• Three times as likely to struggle to 'get things done' at work or elsewhere in their lives
• Over twice as likely to suffer from energy deficiency
  

In the UK, the Mental Health Foundation is recommending a full-out response to tackle the impact sleep problems have on the health and well-being of its citizens.

We’re not much better off in the United States. The latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that sleep problems are widespread in the United States. From 50 million to 70 million people suffer from chronic sleep loss and sleep disorders. They also report that sleepiness goes hand-in-hand with poor health, from obesity to diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

If you aren’t getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night, it may be time to visit your doctor.