Chronic Sleep Loss could cut Life Expectancy by Three Years

More than half of UK workers are surviving on dangerously little sleep, raising concerns that chronic exhaustion could shorten life expectancy by up to three years.

New research commissioned by Hillarys reveals Britain is living in a growing “sleep overdraft”, with millions regularly failing to get a healthy night’s sleep during the working week.

The nationally representative survey analysed responses from 2,001 employees across multiple industries to examine how modern working life is reshaping habits in 2026.

Researchers found that 51% of workers, or around 17 million people nationwide, sleep just four to six hours on a typical work night.

Alarmingly, a significant proportion reported getting as little as four hours, placing them in a state experts describe as chronic deficit rather than occasional tiredness.

The study found the national average sleep duration stands at 6.16 hours per night, nearly an hour below NHS guidance recommending seven to nine hours for adults.

Only 1.25% of respondents reported sleeping more than eight hours during the working week, suggesting restorative sleep has become increasingly rare.

Sleep scientist Tom Coleman warned that Britain may be normalising long-term restriction, turning exhaustion into an accepted part of everyday working life.

He said that when millions consistently sleep five or six hours nightly, it represents sustained physiological stress rather than temporary fatigue caused by busy schedules.

Coleman explained that sleep allows the body to regulate hormones, repair tissue, consolidate memory and process emotional stress, meaning repeated deprivation leaves people starting each day depleted.

Medical research links chronic short sleep with increased cardiovascular risk, weakened immunity, metabolic disruption and declining mental health over time.

When these risks are modelled across decades, researchers estimate that persistently poor sleep could reduce healthy life expectancy by up to three years, particularly during midlife.

Workplace pressure emerged as the biggest disruptor, with 22% of respondents citing job-related stress as the main reason they struggle to rest.

Experts say this highlights a structural problem driven by modern working patterns rather than lifestyle choices alone.

Workers aged 35 to 44 were the most sleep-deprived group, with nearly 56% getting only four to six hours as they juggle careers, finances and family responsibilities.

This group averaged just 6.06 hours of sleep per night, reflecting the pressure faced during peak earning and caregiving years.

Younger workers experienced different challenges, with 25.63% of those aged 18 to 24 blaming screen use as their primary sleep disruption.

Around 40 to 41% of adults aged 18 to 34 reported relying on caffeine to function daily, masking fatigue instead of addressing underlying sleep loss.

Scientists warn that chronic restriction gradually impairs attention, decision-making and mood, while increasing risks of diabetes, heart disease and depression.

Long-term deprivation has also been linked to faster brain ageing and cognitive decline, reinforcing concerns about its wider public health impact.

With Sleep Awareness Month approaching in March, experts say the findings should serve as a wake-up call for both employers and workers.

They stress that improving sleep is not simply about productivity, but about protecting long-term health in a society increasingly running on empty.