Poor sleep is a major contributor to absence in the workplace, contributing to around 14.4m sick days a year, according to the latest data from Canada Life.
Its research found that one in six (16 per cent) adults reported that a lack of sleep was contributing to poor physical or mental health, while a similar percentage (15 per cent) said this had resulted in at least three days absence from the workplace in the last year. Extrapolated across the UK this equates to 14.4m lost working days – around 11 per cent of total absences.
Canada Life’s research shows the average UK adult sleeps for just six hours and 12 minute a night — less than the seven to nine hours recommended by the NHS.
In total more than one in three adults (36 per cent) said they don’t feel they are getting enough quality sleep most nights, and six out of 10 (63 per et) said they often felt the desire to nap during the day.
The research also looked at the reasons why so many employees are not getting a good night’s sleep. One in four (24 per cent) admitted they stay up too late, while 14 per cent said it was a result of using mobile phone and other tech devices in bed.
However, for one five (21 per cent) , bad nights are a result of physical conditions or illnesses, and 17 per cent said it was due to poor mental health, – a quarter (25 per cent) of whom have had to take a sick day to catch up.
Meanwhile one in 10 (11 per cent) people struggle with poor sleep because their partner snores, 16 per cent have insomnia and 12 per cent say their financial situation is stressful and keeps them awake.
Only three in 10 employees (30 per cent) have sought help to address their poor sleep. Of those who have tried to improve their sleep, 45 per cent have taken sleeping pills or medication, 36 per cent have spoken to an NHS doctor, 32 per cent have tried meditation or mindfulness, 29 per cent have used alternative or herbal medicine and 23 per cent used an app.
Canada Life senior rehabilitation consultant John Kendall says: “Lack of sleep and poor sleep quality is a really important factor in our overall well-being and wellness. It underpins everything we do, forming the basis of how we feel, our health, wellness, our relationships, and our professional lives.
“Employers can play an important role in giving employees access to the right kind of help to improve their sleep and therefore, their overall wellbeing. Benefits like providing access to virtual GPs and support services can play a huge role.”
He adds that Canada Life’s mental wellbeing app offers users access to o programmes and modules based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, specifically designed to help improve sleep — and the sleep improvement module is the most accessed feature on this app. He says this is now available to all employees and family members of companies that have a workplace protection policy with Canada Life.
