Lack of sleep: part 1

The Government is set to launch a new campaign to encourage the middle-aged to get more sleep over fears their busy lifestyle is damaging their health, after academics warned that the issue was a ?ticking timebomb? for the nation?s health.

Multiple studies have shown that the modern lifestyle of staying up late and getting up early is resulting in a lack of sleep, which in turn is associated with other problems such as diabetes and heart disease ? the sleep-deprived 12% are more likely to therefore die prematurely.

Now Public Health England is planning to urge adults between the ages of 40 and 60 to spend more time in bed as part of an initiative to be launched next year to boost the nation?s health. It is part of a new wide-ranging campaign which proposes adults to make seven lifestyle changes including qutting smoking, improving diet, drinking less and and increasing physical activity.

People who sleep for less than six hours a night – more than a third of the population, according to the Sleep Council – are 12% likely to die early than those who sleep for six to eight hours. Only 1% of us manage to sleep for over 9 hours, whilst 33% catch between 5-6 hours and 22% 7-8 hours.

The average sleep in major cities around the globe showed Melbourne, Australia to lead the way with 6 hours and 58 minutes, London followed closely with 6 hours 54 minutes, Tokyo, Japan was found to sleep the least with 5 hours 44 minutes.

A recent study by Surrey scientists found that people who get less than six hours of sleep have changes to 700 different genes, possibly explaining why they suffer from such a diverse range of health issues.

Describing the new campaign in a document published in July, Public Health England said: “It will speak holistically to adults in mid-life encouraging them to make seven lifestyle changes – stopping smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, taking more exercise, improving diet, reducing stress, improving sleep and checking for common signs and symptoms of disease.

Are you struggling to get enough shut-eye at night? Follow our tips on how to do so in Part 2.