Recent research from Carpetright revealed that over a quarter (28%) of UK adults are not satisfied with the quality of sleep they get. With some of us spending more time in the office than in our beds, we decided to investigate: is work affecting our sleep?
It’s often assumed that those who aren’t working have plenty of time for sleep and must be getting a great night of it. Carpetright’s survey implies not. Almost half (45%) of unemployed people describe their sleep quality as poor, compared to just a quarter (25%) of employed. This suggests that sleep quality may be more about ‘frame of mind’ than ‘available time’.
Interestingly, Environment and Agriculture employees get the best night’s sleep by a long way. There’s a mass of scientific evidence to show that working outdoors in natural sunlight is highly beneficial for our body clocks. Unfortunately for most of us, there is little opportunity to work outside. But this just goes to show the importance of squeezing in some fresh air to your daily schedule.
Other industries that came out top are all well known for their healthy pay packages. It’s likely that most of these employees benefit from a stable career and financial security. With money being the number one cause of stress in the UK, this may reduce their chances of suffering from mental health issues. But can money really buy a better night’s sleep?
Probably not, but regular work hours could. The industries that scored lowest for employee sleep satisfaction were those that involve shift work. This means long, irregular hours – often at night – for nurses, firefighters, carers, and hotel staff. It has been scientifically proven that night shifts more than double the risk of bad quality sleep which, in turn, can lead to serious health problems.
With many of us spending 40+ hours a week at work, it’s more important than ever to choose your career wisely by ensuring it supports healthy sleep habits.
For tips on how to make your home induce better quality sleep, check out our infographic: 15 houseplants to improve your sleep.
