By skipping the equivalent of more than a night's sleep every week, the average bleary-eyed Brit loses seven years of sleep over a lifetime.
However, according to new Travelodge research*, how well you sleep depends on what you do for a living.
Hard working doctors' sleep deprivation adds up to almost double the national average. With a sleep deficit of 13 years during their working life, almost one in four (37.5%) doctors regularly go to work after just four hour's sleep a night. As a result, more than two thirds (67.5%) of medics spend their all-important time off catching up on sleep.
Almost seven out of ten doctors (67%) blame work stress for their poor quality sleep. The second most popular reason was eating too late (12.5%).
MOST SLEEP DEPRIVED PROFESSIONS
1. Doctors (averaging 5.6 hours sleep a night)
2. Company Directors (5.8 hours)
3. Train drivers (6 hours)
4. Emergency services (6.2 hours)
5. Tradesmen (6.2 hours)
6. Nurses (6.3 hours)
7. Taxi drivers (6.3 hours)
8. Shift workers (6.3 hours)
9. House wife (6.5 hours)
10. Armed forces (6.5 hours)
Wayne Munnelly, Director of Sleep, Travelodge, said; "Of the top ten professions that report a poor night's sleep, the majority work a variety of shifts. That lifestyle can play havoc with an individual's body clock. You must be organised and ensure you plan time for sleep in advance according to your shift times."
At the other end of the scale, mechanics have the best night's sleep. Four out of ten manage nine hours a night, much more than experts' recommended eight hours. Elsewhere in the job market, more than two thirds of lawyers (67%) report never having a broken night's sleep and 89% don't have problems nodding off.
TOP PROFESSIONS FOR A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP
1. Mechanic (averaging 7.6 hours a night)
2. Leisure industry (7.4 hours)
3. Call centre staff (7.3 hours)
4. Self-employed (7.1 hours)
5. IT managers (7 hours)
6. Government workers (7 hours)
7. Lorry driver (6.9 hours)
8. Bar / restaurant staff (6.9 hours)
9. Retail staff (6.9 hours)
10. Labourer (6.8 hours)
Munnelly concluded; "Interestingly, many of the careers that promise a better night's sleep are based around a single location, such as the mechanic in a garage or agent in a call centre. This base may well bring a calming element of control and organisation to an individuals life, enabling them to relax more in the evening.
"However, no matter what a person does professionally, they can follow a number of simple steps to create an environment that's more conducive to sleep at bed time."
Tips for a good night's sleep:
- Keep the room temperature around 18 degrees
- Turn the lighting down lower the later it gets
- Have a warm shower before bed to help relaxation
- Avoid caffeinated drinks after 8pm
- Keep a pen and paper next to the bed so you can make a note of anything thats worrying you if you wake during the night
- Shift workers should plan time for sleep around work schedules. If youre starting late one day, go to bed late the night before. Plan as far in advance as possible to get your body into a rhythm
Travelodge surveyed more than 2,000 people across 25 careers to discover how work impacts on sleep.
- Ends -
* Travelodge research conducted by 72 point in March 2006 among 2000 UK adults.
For more information, please contact:
Jo Begbie
Travelodge PR Manager
01844 358 624
07841 725 053
- As the first budget hotel brand to launch in the UK in 1985, Travelodge currently has approximately 292 hotels across the UK in city centres, near attractions and airports.
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