Friday, March 4, 2011

The better off sleep better

The employed and self-employed enjoy much better sleep than those out of work, according to Understanding Society, the world’s largest longitudinal household study. Those who are unemployed are over 40 per cent more likely to report difficulty staying asleep than those in employment (having controlled for age and gender differences). However, job satisfaction affects the quality of sleep with 33 per cent of the most dissatisfied employees report poor sleep quality compared to only 18 per cent of the most satisfied.

Analysis of the early data from Understanding Society based on 14,000 UK households found that overall the best sleep was reported by people with higher levels of education and by married people. The type of work a person does also impacts on sleep, with those in routine occupations reporting worse sleep than those in professional occupations.

Professor Sara Arber at the University of Surrey who analysed the findings said: "Given the links between sleep, social and economic circumstances and poor health found in this and other surveys, health promotion campaigns should be open to the possibility that the increased incidence of sleep problems among the disadvantaged in society may be one factor leading to their poorer health."

via ESRC | The Economic and Social Research Council | The better off sleep better.

 

Married people sleep better?

1 comment:

ileana said...

interesting...
i wonder if those married with kids sleep better than those married w/o kids? If so, maybe common law couples with kids sleep better than their kidless counterparts?
personally, i feel so fulfilled to have kids (i love kids), although it's very hard in the beginning years... And i'd be curious to know how is good sleep defined?... 'Cause i often have interrupted sleep, but maybe when i DO sleep i sleep good? I don't know...
<3