A study conducted by Lenstore has revealed that 4.5 per cent of Oxford's population suffers from depression due to lack of sleep.

According to health experts, eight hours of daily sleep is not only crucial to allow mind and body to recharge ready to take on the next day, but it also has other benefits, from improving mental health to fighting off diseases. However, the average person only sleeps six hours and 54 minutes, missing out on 66 minutes of precious sleep daily (16.7 days of sleep a year).

The lack of sleep in Oxford is due to multiple factors such as average temperature being 9.82 degrees above ideal, humidity being 23 per cent more than the ideal level of 50 per cent and 11.4 per cent of employed people working more than 48 hours per week.

Joe Mitton, Personal Trainer and owner of Mitt-Fit stresses the importance of sleep on our health: “Sleep plays a vital role in our physical and mental health for both positive and negative reasons.

“Not enough sleep will hinder your recovery, focus, stress, and energy levels as well as affect your hormonal balance, with the most severe cases of insomnia even leading to psychiatric conditions as well as many unfavourable health consequences.”

Some tips to improve quality of sleep are:

  1. Sleep in a slightly cooler room (17-20 degrees).
  2. Cut off all technology an hour before sleep.
  3. Restrict caffeine intake at night.
  4. Have a routine: sleep and wake up at the same time each day.

 

For the detailed report, click here.