Ministers are planning on issuing guidance on how much daily sleep an individual needs per night. In the UK, this recommendation is supposedly aiming to improve the public health.
Latest leaked drafts of the plans, seen by The Times, state that up to three in four adults don’t get at least seven hours of sleep each night regularly.
Physical and mental health problems were found to be directly linked to lack of sleep. They also suggest that sleep deprivation can have a negative effect on recovery from surgery and illness.
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According to previously mentioned draft, problems occurring from sleep deprivation include obesity, strokes heart attacks, depression and anxiety.
“As a first step the government will review the evidence on sleep and health. This is with a view to informing the case for clear national guidance on the daily recommended hours of sleep for individuals in different age brackets and to raise awareness of the key ‘sleep hygiene’ factors that can support healthy sleeping.” The draft guidance says.
Depression, diabetes and dementia can easily be prevented with a good nights daily sleep. Russell Foster, professor of sleep and circadian neuroscience at Oxford University assured The Times of the statement due to evidence.