Aussies aren’t getting enough sleep. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIANS aren’t spending enough time in the land of nod, raising fears that many people think sleep is a waste of time.

A survey of 1500 people aged 14-70 found the average person sleeps for only seven hours a night instead of the recommended eight.

And long, lazy weekend sleep-ins are a thing of the past, with the average lie-in lasting only 45 minutes.

One-third of the group did not feel refreshed when they woke, with 19 per cent saying their sleepiness interfered with their day.

The problem was particularly evident among 14-to-24-year-olds, almost half of whom (44 per cent) woke up tired most days – more than double the number of sleepyheads aged over 65.

Almost one-quarter of people experienced fatigue or exhaustion as a result of a lack of sleep, 10 per cent suffered insomnia and 19 per cent had their dreams interrupted by their partner’s snoring.

The findings were based on a Roy Morgan survey commissioned by the recently formed Sleep Health Foundation, which is calling for the Federal Government to make sleep a national priority, like exercise and a healthy diet.

Chair Dr David Hillman said it appeared many Australians believed sleep was a waste of time.

“Not enough sleep makes people less productive, more prone to accidents and irritable,” he said.

 

This interesting article highlights a major emerging problem in Australia – Sleep Deprivation. A growing body of research is linking a lack of sleep to more and more health problems. For example, check out this recent research from the UK: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/09/sleep-medical-research