Ultimate world sleep ranking: Finns top the charts at 8 hours per night – 70 minutes more than the Japanese (so how do Britain and the US fare?)
Researchers in Korea and the UK monitored the sleeping habits of 30,000 people and found that only those living in Finland were able to get an average of eight hours.
Eight hours of hitting the sack a night is often considered the ideal amount.
But only people living in one country can get that much shut-eye per night, a study has found.
Researchers from Korea and the UK monitored the sleep habits of more than 30,000 people in 11 countries through smartwatches and surveys.
The results showed that only those living in Finland were able to sleep an average of eight hours per night, while those in Japan got the least amount of rest – less than seven.
Meanwhile, the US ranks ninth, averaging seven and a half hours per night, while those in the UK get an extra 10 minutes in bed.
Researchers from Korea and the UK monitored the sleep habits of more than 30,000 people in 11 countries through smartwatches and surveys. The results showed that only those living in Finland were able to sleep an average of eight hours per night, while those in Japan got the least rest – less than seven.
Americans nod off for an average of seven hours and 28 minutes per night. The results indicated that they went to bed at 11:51 a.m. and woke up at 7:28 a.m.
Researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and UK-based Nokia Bell Labs wanted to determine whether where a person lives affects how much sleep they get.
The team examined smartwatch data from 30,082 people across 11 countries – including the UK, US and Spain – which was collected over a four-year period.
The volunteers also completed surveys about their sleep time. However, the researchers found that these were off by up to an hour when compared to data from sleep trackers.
The results, published in the journal Scientific Reports, showed that, overall, participants went to sleep around midnight and woke up at an average of 7:42 a.m.
But overall sleep time differs between different nations.
People in Finland got the most — an average of eight hours and a minute and slept from 11:43pm to 7:43am.
People in France got the next best rest, getting seven hours and 45 minutes of shut-eye every night. On average, they slept from 12:06 a.m. to 7:53 p.m.
The British came third, sleeping an average of seven hours and 44 minutes in bed, going to bed at 11:52pm and waking up at 7:38am.
Americans nod off for an average of seven hours and 28 minutes per night. The results suggest that they went to bed at 11:51 a.m. and woke up at 7:28 a.m.
People in Japan got the least amount of rest – just six hours and 51 minutes per night on average. According to smartwatch data, their last sleep time was 12:42 a.m. and they woke up at 7:38 a.m.
The researchers said the results show that people who live in wealthier countries sleep fewer hours.
This may be less so for residents of these countries who work longer hours and have more rigorous work schedules, the team suggested.
But they also pointed to the Individualism Index — a tool that measures whether people think of themselves primarily as an individual or part of a group — as an explanation for sleep length.
Countries that placed more emphasis on being part of a group — Spain and Japan — had the latest sleep times, the researchers noted.
This may mean they have more family obligations in the evening that force them to go to bed later.
Daniel Quercia, Head of Social Dynamics and Nokia Bell Labs, said: ‘Scheduled work, long working hours and late bedtimes in high-income countries and high collectivism can lead to delayed sleep due to social engagement.’
Tips on how to sleep and get better sleep
Insomnia means you have trouble sleeping regularly. Changing your sleeping habits can make it better
One in three adults in the UK and almost half of US adults suffer from insomnia, with millions more spending sleepless nights.
Long-term sleep deprivation can lead to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Insomnia can be caused by stress, anxiety, alcohol, caffeine or nicotine, noise, shift work and jet lag.
If you have regular sleep problems, there are simple ways to improve your sleep hygiene.
Keep regular sleeping hours
Try to wake up when you feel tired and at the same time every day.
Create a resting place
A dark, quiet and cool environment usually makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
keep going
Exercise is good for your physical health and your mind. It can also help you sleep better. Just don’t do vigorous exercise too close to your bedtime.
Don’t force it
If you find yourself unable to sleep, get up and relax for a while. Then go back to bed when you feel a little sleepy.
Write down your concerns
If you find that your worries keep you up at night, try writing them down before you go to bed.
Stop caffeine
Alcohol and caffeine can keep you from falling asleep and staying asleep. Cutting back on caffeine and alcoholic beverages near bedtime can help you taper off.
Source NHS
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