World Mental Health Day: Poor sleep affects employee productivity

To coincide with World Mental Health Day, digital medicine company Big Health has released research that details the impact poor sleep has on mental wellbeing and recovery.

The results show insomnia affects approximately 69% of adults with depression. Poor sleep also increases the risks of developing anxiety and depression and acts as a barrier to successful treatment. British respondents to Big Health’s World Sleep Survey said that poor sleep negatively impacted many different parts of their everyday living.

Interesting statistics to come out of the survey include:

• Personally, respondents said that energy levels (60%), mood (48%), relationships with other people (35%) and physical health (28%) were the areas most impacted by their poor sleep.
• Professionally, concentration (at 46%), ability to complete work (38%) and staying awake during the day (27%) were cited as the three top issues affecting workplace productivity.
• Three-fifths (60%) of these same respondents did not consult their doctors about poor sleep.

A separate study from Big Health (evaluating the NHS’ IAPT services) demonstrates how improving poor sleep through a digital Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) programme can alleviate insomnia symptoms linked with depression and anxiety. It shows:

• 68% of patients with mild to moderate depression and anxiety moved to recovery following treatment from online CBT programme Sleepio.
• This compares with a recovery rate of 45% for patients using other NHS psychological services.

“It’s important that we recognise the widespread effects poor sleep has on our lives,” said Professor Colin Espie, Co-founder of Big Health and Professor of Sleep Medicine at the University of Oxford.

“Sleep affects us on various levels – mentally, emotionally and physically – so when we have had no or insufficient sleep, we feel the consequences both mentally and physically. Our emotional processing and mood deteriorates, as well as pain thresholds, immune functioning and our metabolism, all contributing to low-moods and irritability.”