Not getting enough sleep? You’re not alone, according to new research

Research from Sainsbury’s and Balance by AromaWorks has found that on average Brits get just six hours and nineteen minutes of sleep per night – meaning you’re not the only one reaching for the extra strong coffee in the morning.

While boffins say that eight hours is the ideal amount of sleep for humans, the research found that stress, work schedules and the generally hectic nature of modern living often means that’s not possible.

Other contributory factors include technology (late nights playing games or browsing the internet/answering emails on a phone), lack of exercise and eating late.

In fact the poll, which was taken by 2,000 UK adults, showed that people get the recommended eight hours just two nights a week, with 38 per cent never reaching that benchmark.

Highlights of the research include:-

• One quarter of Brits rely on caffeinated products to help them get through to the evening.
• One in 10 will check or reply to work emails when in bed.
• Adults will spend 38 minutes a day thinking about or finishing jobs when they should be getting sleep.
• More than half of adults said they don’t get enough sleep, with 57 per cent finding themselves grumpy after a bad night.
• One third said they will lose their temper more quickly, with 48 per cent struggling to concentrate and over one quarter find they are more emotional after a lack of sleep.

Lydia Atkinson, Buyer for Aircare and Cleaning, at Sainsbury’s, said: “We are always looking at ways to help our customers live well for less and our Living Well Index has identified just how significant an impact sleep quality has on an individual’s sense of wellbeing. It’s clear that as a nation we’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep, so we wanted to develop a solution that helps our customers get those extra hours of shut eye.”