A聽fifth聽of聽England鈥檚聽workers could suffer from poor mental health due to sleep deprivation,聽a聽new study shows.
Working Overtime
Almost聽a聽fifth聽(19.9%)聽of聽England鈥檚聽workers put in up to 7.5 hours聽of聽overtime on top聽of聽their weekly base working hours, which could have聽a聽direct, negative result on their sleep schedule. Moreover, some 3.2 million people work nights in the UK聽and with greater difficulties experienced in resting during daylight hours then night, the country could be facing聽a聽crisis fuelled by poor sleep.
Disrupted sleep patterns put聽workers聽at risk聽of聽experiencing poor mental health due to its聽association with聽a聽higher likelihood聽of聽experiencing stress, depression,聽and聽anxiety.
Areas with Lowest Sleep Quality
Alongside overtime聽and work patterns, the #WakeUpWell聽study, conducted by聽Blinds Direct,聽also聽analysed light pollution levels, sun hours聽and mean temperatures in key locations to establish which parts聽of聽England聽experience the lowest quality聽of聽sleep,聽and聽advises Brits on how they can combat it.
The damage to mental health caused by poor sleep is especially concerning given HSE estimates that some 828,000聽workers were聽affected by work-related stress, depression, or聽anxiety聽across the UK in 2019/20. The result was聽a聽predicted 17.9 million working days lost.
The study looked聽at the聽average base working hours,聽average paid/unpaid overtime hours聽and proportion聽of聽workers putting in overtime in key regions聽and cities聽across聽England, to identify where is most聽at risk聽of聽being overworked.
The findings showed that聽workers in Central London were the most likely to experience sleep disruption due to longer working hours,聽as it saw the highest proportion聽of聽workers putting in unpaid overtime with聽almost聽a聽quarter (24.4%) doing so, compared to just 14% in the least overworked city, Newcastle.
This equates to聽a聽massive 246,440聽workers putting in time聽above their base contract in London, with the聽average聽amount聽of聽weekly paid/unpaid overtime equalling 8.4 hours.
Most Working Hours Per Week
However, it鈥檚 Leicester, Birmingham聽and Manchester that put in the highest working hours per week聽at 46.9 – including paid/unpaid overtime – but very few聽workers in each city聽actually report putting unpaid overtime when compared to Central London.
Cities ranked from most to least overworked:
- Central London
- Brighton
- Bristol
- Norwich
- Leeds
- Leicester
- Birmingham
- Manchester
- Newcastle
Now is the perfect time to prioritise sleep quality,聽as returning to work could give many Brits the chance to reclaim their home space聽as strictly being for downtime, which in turn gives them the opportunity to make small tweaks to聽a聽room in order to get聽a聽good night鈥檚 rest.
Thomas Croft, HR Manager聽at Blinds Direct says: 鈥淭he study has made it evident that it鈥檚 not easy to get聽a聽good night鈥檚 sleep regardless聽of聽where you live or what you do for聽a聽living,聽as聽all cities聽and regions聽are exposed to high levels聽of聽light pollution.
鈥淲ith聽an imminent return to pre-pandemic life,聽and people returning to work聽after聽a聽long period聽of聽working from home, it鈥檚 crucial that we prioritise our sleep schedule聽and ensure our homes聽are conducive to聽a聽high quality聽of聽sleep. Whether it鈥檚 by investing in blackout blinds, or聽a聽new mattress; or limiting screen time before bed, there聽are small聽and easy changes that can be made to every routine.鈥�
Alongside the study, Blinds Direct has launched #WakeUpWell,聽a聽social media competition that will see one lucky winner receive 拢400 to spend on the website. Head over to their Facebook or Twitter page for more details.
