The latest ‘Healthier Nation Index’ by UK healthcare charity Nuffield Health reveals that poor sleep quality continues to be a significant issue in the country. The index is based on a survey of 8,000 UK adults and highlights several concerning trends regarding sleep:
On average, respondents reported getting only 5.91 hours of sleep per night, down from 6.11 in 2022 and 6.19 in 2021.
Only 36 percent of participants rated their sleep as ‘good,’ whereas a healthy adult typically needs between 7.5 and 8.5 hours of sleep per night.
The remaining 64 percent of respondents felt they didn’t get good quality sleep, indicating an imbalance between deep, slow-wave sleep and shallow, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
Eleven percent of participants reported getting only two to four hours of sleep per night, while 36 percent slept between four and six hours each night. Only eight percent got more than the recommended eight hours per night.
The study also examined sleep patterns across different demographics and industries:
Respondents in the 45–54-year age bracket reported the worst sleep, with only 29 percent rating it as ‘good,’ averaging only 5.72 hours a night.
Industries with the worst sleep quality were retail (32 percent) and HR (34 percent).
IT (48 percent) and finance (44 percent) industries rated their sleep as the best, although these figures are still below half.
Industries that reported the most significant negative impact on mental health due to poor sleep included architecture, engineering, and building (56 percent), education (55 percent), retail (53 percent), and healthcare (54 percent).
The study suggests that poor sleep quality affects employee productivity, with 37 percent reporting reduced productivity after a poor night’s sleep. It also negatively impacts mental health, particularly in women, with 55 percent reporting a negative impact on emotional well-being compared to 41 percent of men.
Furthermore, the study indicates a connection between sleep and financial well-being. As salary increases, so does the percentage of those who rate their sleep as ‘good,’ although there is a slight drop in one of the salary brackets.
Luke Cousins, Physiology Regional Lead at Nuffield Health, emphasized the need for employers to be more attentive to their employees’ sleep needs and prioritize its importance in improving overall well-being. He suggested that companies should work collaboratively with healthcare partners to enhance sleep education and provide relevant employee benefits to support those struggling with sleep issues.
