Aviva research shows Brits are not don’t get enough rest

October 28, 2016

Study of 13 countries finds 37% of Britons not getting enough sleep
Experts fear long hours and ‘meagre lunch breaks’ are the reason
Two in five said they were so tired that they had no energy left to exercise

Alexander Holmes For The Daily Mail

Published:
19:37 EST, 27 October 2016

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Updated:
20:19 EST, 27 October 2016

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We’re world-beaters when it comes to drinking tea and queuing.

But at the end of the day, we really seem to struggle – for a study has shown Britain is the most sleep-deprived nation in the world.

Experts fear that our working culture of long hours and meagre lunch breaks is to blame for a new trend of insomnia.

A new study found 37 per cent of Britons are not getting enough sleep (file picture)

A study of 13 countries found that 37 per cent of adult Britons said they weren’t getting enough sleep, The Times reported.

Two in five said they were so tired that they had no energy left to exercise.

Doug Wright, the medical director of insurer Aviva, which carried out the research, said: ‘Our fast-paced lives in the UK factor in little time for rest and relaxation, while our working culture encourages long hours, both in the office and at home.’

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‘Taking time off is discouraged, while the days of taking a full hour’s lunch break are long gone. We’re also famously bad at relaxing during our downtime.

‘If we’re not checking work emails or taking work home with us, we’re trying to whittle down our personal to-do lists.’

Mr Wright said this inability to switch off damages the quantity and quality of our rest.

Two in five people said they were so tired that they had no energy left to exercise (file picture)

‘Although getting a good night’s sleep might not be prized in the UK, it’s important to make this a priority,’ he added.

‘Insufficient sleep can lead to a host of mental and physical health problems, so shouldn’t be seen as insignificant in comparison to work or play.’

Britons were closely followed in the list of shame by the Irish, with 34 per cent complaining of a lack of sleep.

Next were the US and Canada (both on 31 per cent) – suggesting those in the English-speaking West have a particular problem with ignoring their time in the office.

Such troubles do not appear to be shared by our near-neighbours, however.

Italians were the most well-rested in Europe, thanks to their afternoon naps, or riposos, followed by evening strolls – passegiatas – to clear their heads.

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It is thought long hours and ‘meagre’ lunch breaks are the reason behind sleeping problems (file picture)

Yet the more leisurely lifestyle enjoyed on the Continent appears to be under threat – as ministers attempt to replicate the hard-working culture seen in the UK.

The Spanish government is attempting to eradicate the nations’ famed siestas by changing the end of the working day to 6pm, rather than 8pm or later as is typically the case now, in order to boost productivity and competitiveness on the international stage.

The most well-rested country was India, where fewer than one in ten said they were not getting enough sleep.

Second was China, with 10 per cent complaining, while Indonesia came third with 16 per cent not getting enough rest.