The sum of £40 Billion lost is due to the fact that deprived workers tend to work with less motivation or just won't turn up at all.

What can happen if you sleep less than 7 hours?

Those who sleep six hours or less a night are 13% more likely to die than those who sleep between seven and ten hours. As well as death, long-term sleep deprivation can also cause problems to your central nervous system, digestive system, immune system, respiratory system and cardiovascular system.

What did the study show?

The UK loses 200,000 working days a year due to lack of sleep and as a result, it costs them £40 Billion.

This is nothing compared to US's loss of 1.2 million working days and Japan's loss of 600,000 working days.

According to the study, the healthy range of sleep is between seven and nine hours a night.

What will happen to the economy if we continue to sleep less than 7 hours?

A poll ,which was published earlier this year by the Royal Society of Public Health, asked 2,000 British adults about their sleeping habits and found that the average amount of hours slept was 6.8. If the UK continue to sleep less than seven hours a night it would cost the economy an added £24 Billion.

How can we improve our sleeping habits?

As we have seen not only does sleep deprivation affect UK's economy but it can affect the individual as well.

Here are a few tips to improve your sleeping habits:

  • Stick to a sleep schedule. If you continue to go to sleep at the same time each day your body will get used to the routine. Being consistent will promote better sleep. If you can't fall asleep after 15 minutes get up and do something relaxing. Then go back to bed when you're feeling tired.
  • Take care with what you eat or drink. You will find it hard to fall asleep if you're uncomfortable, so don't go to sleep stuffed or hungry. Limit how much you drink before going to bed as well, otherwise, you'll be continually going to the toilet instead of sleeping. Caffeine will cause stimulation which you will find difficult to fall asleep after consuming it, so limit what you have before bed.
  • Move electrical devices away from your bed. If these devices have to be used keep them as far away as possible. Seeing the clock will only add to your worry when all you can see are the hours go by.
  • Reserve your bed just for sleeping. If you're watching TV or doing work in your bed you will find it harder to relax. To make it easier on yourself avoid doing any other activities ,other than sleep, in your bed.