A quarter of Brits are getting by on just five hours of sleep a night

NHS guidelines state the typical adult needs between seven and nine hours of kip a night, but the average adult is falling short, getting just over six hours on average.

A poll of 4,000 adults has revealed the UK has a weekly deficit of over 8 hours per person, equivalent to an entire night’s sleep per week.

While more than four in 10 adults (44 per cent) describe themselves as ‘sleep deprived’ – rising to 54 per cent of those with diagnosed health conditions.

And 28 per cent of those with a health condition said they would do “anything” for a good night’s rest.

Not sure how your sleep stacks up? Take the Curaleaf Clinic Sleep Quiz to find out what your habits could be costing you.

The findings come from a study commissioned by Curaleaf Clinic to raise awareness of the impact disrupted sleep can have, particularly among those living with chronic conditions.

Dr David Garley, a sleep expert, commented: “One disturbed night can be enough to throw the body off balance.  

“If poor sleep starts to accumulate, it can heighten emotional reactivity, reduce resilience and can leave the mind and body struggling to cope.

“It can lower pain thresholds, disrupt repair pathways and affect emotional regulation, with this risk heightened for those living with chronic pain or mental health conditions.”  

The number one cause for sleep difficulties among the respondents was needing a visit to the bathroom (45 per cent), followed by stress or anxiety (40 per cent), and a poor sleep routine (22 per cent).

While those who wake during sleep reportedly do so twice a night on average, with 2am to 3am emerging as the nation’s most common waking hour.

The research also found when they wake in the middle of the night, most nip to the bathroom (61 per cent) or lie there trying to fall back to sleep (47 per cent).

A further 22 per cent check their phones, 21 per cent lie awake worrying – and 12 per cent watch the clock, according to research by OnePoll.

After one bad night’s rest, 37 per cent say they struggle to stay focused, 36 per cent report reduced patience and 34 per cent are quicker to anger.

While for those who experience two weeks or more of poor sleep, 10 per cent gain weight, 24 per cent are overwhelmed by small tasks and 23 per cent said their mental health takes a blow.

For those living with diagnosed health conditions, the consequences are more severe, with nearly one in five finding their symptoms worsen (18 per cent).

Meanwhile, 21 per cent fall ill more easily and 24 per cent said their memory is impaired.

And many also found several sleep hacks to be ineffective, such as sleep sprays (64 per cent), natural sleeping pills (53 per cent) or changing their mattresses or pillows (42 per cent).

Additionally, 29 per cent of those who have tried sleeping medication said it didn’t provide satisfactory relief, and a further 16 per cent admitted to turning to alcohol.

Dr Simon Erridge, research director at the clinic, said: “Poor sleep is a daily struggle for too many people, and for those living with long-term health conditions, the impact can be especially severe.  

“Lack of rest doesn’t just leave people tired - it can worsen symptoms, reduce emotional resilience and make everyday life much harder to manage.”