Lack of sleep can cause us to lose concentration at work
Waking up in the middle of the night is a regular occurence for some, it's even more disturbing when you can't instantly drift back off but lay there for hours thinking about when you have to be up for work.
Sleep starved Brits are more likely to wake up at 3.44am than at any other time during the night, a study revealed.
Researchers found the typical Brit is woken twice a night by dripping taps, noisy neighbours, snoring, kicking partners and pawing pets.
The study also showed four in ten struggle to fall asleep, with the average Brit taking 46 minutes to nod off.
Worries about money and work were the most common culprits, whilst one sixth blamed eating late and caffeine.
The research into the sleeping habits of 3,000 Brits was commissioned by herbal sleep remedy, A.Vogel Dormeasan.
Dr Jen Tan, medical director of A.Vogel says: "It’s staggering how many people struggle to fall asleep and then when they finally do manage to drift off are woken by their surroundings or worries twice during the night.
"The research shows sleep is the first thing to bear the brunt of an overworked or hectic lifestyle and can have a huge impact on our energy levels and how we function the next day."
Nearly half said they felt tired all day long as a result of their interrupted sleep and one in five admitted finding themselves nodding off during the day.
Dr Tan continues: “Many people rush hectically through their day and then collapse into bed without a period of calm to allow their adrenal glands to switch off. Without sleep the body struggles to repair and everyday tasks become harder.
“We’re then easily woken up by noises, a fidgety partner or feeling thirsty and it’s not helped by the fact we’re hitting the sack later than ever and staying up to watch TV or play computer games.
“This lack of decent shut-eye is causing millions of Brits to drop off at their desk the next day, be ineffective in meetings and lacking concentration.
“Most importantly, this research highlights the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. Most of us need seven to eight hours sleep to function properly so when we fall short of this it’s easy to experience rising anxiety.”
More than a third said bad sleeping habits mean they lack of energy and four in ten say awaking in the night means they struggle to concentrate the next day.
But the typical Brit finds themselves catching an extra forty winks at 7.52pm while watching TV.
Sixty per cent admit that they stay up late to watch television and one in five say they go to bed later than they should to play computer games.