Sleepy workers can bring down the GDP

Sleep-deprived workers are costing developed nations billions of dollars each year, according to a new study. The calculation is based on tired employees being less productive or absent from work altogether.

The UK economy, for example, loses £40 billion a year to sleep-deprived workers, who also face a higher risk of death on account of less sleep, says the study that urges employers to build nap rooms for employees. Research firm Rand Europe said the loss equated to 1.86% of the GDP. According to the study, the ‘healthy daily sleep range’ is between seven and nine hours per night.

The study evaluated the economic cost of insufficient sleep in the UK, the US, Canada, Germany and Japan. And while the impact of tired workers in the UK may sound bad, it still ranked better than both the US and Japan, which lost the most working days due to a lack of sleep.

The US loses 1.2 million working days a year, costing $411 billion or 2.28% of the GDP. Japan loses 600,000 working days a year, costing $138 billion or 2.92% of the GDP. Germany loses 200,000 working days a year, costing $60 billion, or 1.56% of the GDP, while Canada loses 80,000 working days a year due to sleep deprivation, which costs it $21.4 billion or 1.35% of the GDP.

The report called on employers to recognise and promote the importance of sleep, urging them to build nap rooms. It said they should also discour age staff from ‘extended use’ of electronic devices after working hours. Individuals were advised to wake up at the same time each day and exercise during the day to improve their sleep.

‘Sleep deprivation not only influences an individual’s health and wellbeing but has a significant impact on a nation’s economy,’ said Marco Hafner, a research leader at Rand Europe and the report’s main author