5 Interesting Facts About Sleep, Health, and the Economy

The current UK situation

In the UK, sleep quality is influenced by both the current economic situation and overall mental health. This is true even when other factors such as age, gender, and job type are accounted for.

Over the last few weeks, we have witnessed a significant amount of anxiety in the country. The war in Ukraine and the rising prices due to inflation have especially caused great distress and concern among the population. Unsurprisingly, so many people are having trouble sleeping now more compared to a few weeks ago.

It comes as no surprise that in the UK, almost 30% of the population have slept fewer hours than usual in the last two weeks.

Moreover, the collected data shows that almost two out of five women say they are dissatisfied with their sleep, while as many as 42% of the male population say they only sleep between three and five hours each night. The results show a gradual deterioration in the sleep quality of the British population and can be read as the outcome of the current international socio-political situation.

Six out of Ten people that took six or more sick days per year sleep between three and five hours per night.

The number of sick leaves has increased in most countries, leading to a rise in healthcare costs and loss of productivity.

Interestingly, our study found that 6 out of 10 people who took six or more sick days per year usually slept between 3 - 5 hours per night. This means that the fewer people sleep, the more they are inclined to take sick leaves, representing an economic disadvantage for themselves and the overall economic outlook.

This is a problem because increasing the number of sick days taken by employees harms the overall economy. When more employees are out ill and unable to work, it reduces productivity and profits for their employer. This can lead to layoffs and reduced hours for those who remain at work. If these employees cannot make ends meet with fewer hours, they may be forced to seek other employment.

The loss of income from these two sectors can create a downward spiral that negatively impacts the entire economy. Good quality sleep can be an easy and efficient way to solve this kind of problem by helping people feel better, boosting their immune system, and avoiding taking more than necessary sick days.

The study also showed that, on average, people who sleep less than 3 hours a night rate their mental health status as poorer (i.e. 5/10) when compared to those who sleep between 3 and 5 hours (i.e., 6/10), as well as those who sleep more than 8 hours per night (i.e., 7/10).

Majority of the respondents claim that the current economic situation significantly affects their sleep problems

Our data supports this idea and show how financial insecurity is degrading not only the quality of our sleep but also the quantity. The fact that 74% of people who say that inflation is increasing their sleeping problems and that they only sleep between 3 to 5 hours per night is a clear indication that this stress is having an impact on people's overall sleep health.

These problems with sleep can then have a ripple effect on productivity: people who don't get enough sleep are less productive at work and often end up taking more sick days than those who do manage to get enough rest. Not only are these individuals getting less sleep than they need, but they're also performing worse at work because of it.

As an individual, it's important to recognize how your own finances affect your ability to get quality rest so that you can take steps toward improving both areas at once.

Almost 65% of the interviewed population claim that sleeping poorly makes them feel anxious

Anxiety is a mental condition characterized by excessive worry or tension that causes physical symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches and muscle pains.

It can also cause difficulty breathing and chest pain or tightness. People with generalised anxiety disorders may be aware of their condition, but they may not know what is causing it or how to deal with it.

In this regard, our survey showed that 63.4% of the interviewed population claim that sleeping poorly makes them feel anxious. This figure is significantly higher than what was recorded in previous surveys carried out by Emma Sleep Experts, where only 26.6% of respondents associated bad sleep quality with anxious feelings. This clearly shows how sleep affects our ability to manage stress and anxiety.

Six out of Ten (60.6%) unemployed people sleep between three to five hours per night

In addition to being a symptom of other diseases such as heart problems, high blood pressure and diabetes, anxiety can be caused by stress at work or home life. This is the reason why we decided to address the effect of the different job types both on sleep quality and mental health.

We found that 54.5% (more than 1 out of 2) of civil servants claim that they have slept fewer hours in the last two weeks. Social workers are constantly exposed to stressful situations in their work life. The job requires them to deal with issues that can be emotionally challenging, such as child abuse, family violence, and homelessness. This can often cause social workers to experience feelings of pressure, stress, and anxiety which can lead to poor sleep.

Add to this the current geopolitical situation in Europe, in which economic instability is combined with a terrible military situation with constant references to a possible nuclear war.

Moreover, when you're unemployed, sleep is one of the first things to be affected. And don't think for a second that it won't affect your overall life.

Our study looked at the sleeping habits of unemployed people, too. We found that 6 out of 10 (60,6%) of these individuals reported sleeping between 3 to 5 hours per night, which is well below the recommended 7 to 8 hours.

As if these weren't enough, another study found that those who are unemployed tend to have more difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep than those who are employed. This is because being unemployed can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety — which we all know can be detrimental to our sleep quality and quantity!

One out of five people claim that they have slept fewer hours than usual in the last two weeks.

Sleeping fewer hours – and being aware of this – can be problematic.

The thing is that our body simply loves sleep. It loves it so much, in fact, that it will fight you tooth and nail to make sure you get enough of it. It's simple: if you don't get the right amount of sleep for yourself, your body won't function at its best.

Here are a few ways that sleeping the right number of hours impacts your health:

1. You're less susceptible to illnesses and infections when you're fully rested,
2. Your metabolism works better,
3. Your immune system strengthens (and you are way more resistant to colds).

Takeaway

Given the incredibly bleak financial outlook many people face, it makes sense that we're all experiencing a little more financial stress than usual.

Furthermore, because of the poor state of the economy, many people have little financial stability and may be worried that they might lose their job or become poorer at any moment.

Having to worry about these issues can only exacerbate anxiety levels, which in turn can disrupt sleep patterns. In the end, it seems that financial and mental stress are inextricably linked to sleep.