Research Found Almost Half Of Australians Did Not Get Enough Sleep
Aussie’s sleep hours below standard
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With the upcoming World Sleep Day on 17 March, ResMed’s Global sleep survey has found that 47 per cent of Australians are the least satisfied with the quality of their sleep.
The average sleep time for Australians is only 6.9 hours, less than most other countries, excluding Japan, with an average of 6.5 hours, and the UK for 6.8 hours.
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Peter Farrell, ResMed Founder and Chairman said the average sleep hours for Australians are marginally below a standard of seven to nine hours of sleep.
“One, ‘average’ implies half of Australians are getting less or even far less than that amount, and I urge any of those folks to prioritise sleep and make time for it that can pay dividends in the short and long term for their health and quality of life,” Mr Farrell said.
“And two, it is estimated that at least 3 million Australians have sleep apnea, many of them undiagnosed and untreated,” he said.
The research has revealed that 52 per cent of Australians have suffered from poor sleep quality due to stress and only ten per cent of Australians wake up feeling refreshed.
Tim Stephenson, a sleep physiologist at ResMed, said, “It’s worrying that only one in ten Aussies are waking up feeling refreshed, as our body and mind depend on a good night’s sleep for physical and mental health.”
According to the survey, potential economic instability and anxiety/depression are the leading causes that keep people up at night.
Other factors include work-related concerns (33 per cent), noise outside the bedroom (25 per cent), and electronic devices (23 per cent).
ResMed said that good quality sleep could help people feel energised and productive throughout the day, as well as help protect people from long-term health issues.
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