- Nine in ten residents don’t sleep well at night, survey finds
Forget Sleepless in Seattle, a new survey reveals it’s now Sleepless in Stoke.
The Staffordshire town is said to be the most sleep-deprived town in the country, with nine out of ten residents failing to get a good night’s sleep.
A survey found that Britons are losing up to 30 days a year of sleep, with the average person getting just six hours each night – two hours less than the NHS recommendation.
This is equivalent to a sleep deficit of more than four weeks (or 30 days) a year. As a result, nine out of ten (90 percent) Britons complain of being constantly tired.
People between 45 and 59 years old experience the most restless sleep: four sleep disorders per week.
A survey found Brits are losing up to 30 days a year of sleep, with the average person getting just six hours each night – two hours less than the NHS recommendation (file image)
The survey, commissioned by Lingo, a biosensor and app that helps people understand the connection between their metabolism and their health, also revealed a correlation between lack of sleep and diet.
About three-quarters (75 percent) of the 2,000 people surveyed attributed their sleepless nights to eating the wrong foods too late.
One in ten (12 per cent) confess they scoff at chocolate before bed, while another 11 per cent eat biscuits, giving them a sugar rush at the wrong time of day.
Toast (eight percent) and chips (seven percent) are also on the list of carbohydrate-rich late-night snacks that can affect sleep patterns.
To combat exhaustion caused by lack of sleep, more than half of Britons (52 percent) try to stay awake during the day by drinking coffee, while one in three (31 percent) eat chocolate for a boost.
Energy drinks (24 percent), carbonated drinks (20 percent), fruit (19 percent) and toast (19 percent) are also snacks to cheer us up.
Lily Soutter, nutritionist at Abbott’s Lingo, said: “It is clear from the research that Brits are struggling with not getting enough quality sleep, which may be linked to the food we eat.”
‘Relying on too many quick-fix foods, such as high-sugar snacks, can contribute to spikes and drops in our blood glucose levels.
‘Greater glucose fluctuations may be associated with poorer sleep quality.
«On the other hand, when we are sleep deprived, we may experience a worsening of the glycemic response the next morning.
“So getting enough sleep is associated with better metabolic health, which is why it’s so important to get an idea of our personal glucose levels and get off that glucose roller coaster.”