​Almost half of UAE residents are sleep-deprived due to stress

More than 40% of UAE residents sleep less than six hours a night, mainly due to stress.

More than 40% of people in the United Arab Emirates sleep less than six hours a night, largely due to stress, according to a survey of more than 950 people aged 18 to 65 and over, conducted by Premier Inn Middle East and Silentnight Arabia.

Respondents (48%) named stress as the main factor in sleep disorders. Stress increases cortisol levels, which makes it difficult to produce the sleep hormone melatonin. As is known, a person can sleep when he feels safe.

For 45% of UAE residents, the rising cost of living is the cause of stress, with personal and family financial problems also among the factors. The cost of living crisis is not only affecting sleep, but also mental health, work-life balance and family relationships.

Sleep quality in the UAE is also affected by weather and climate, discomfort or pain, electronic devices, construction and traffic noise, noisy children, roommates or nearby nightclubs. About 80% of people sleep better in winter due to the low room temperature when the air conditioner is off.

26% of respondents have trouble sleeping due to using electronic devices in bed. Experts note that excessive exposure to blue light can make it difficult to fall asleep, but podcasts or meditation, on the contrary, help to calm down.

In general, experts recommend sleeping between 7 and 9 hours a night. For full recovery, the body needs five sleep cycles of 90 minutes per night. Deep sleep restores the body physically, while light sleep has a beneficial effect on brain function and emotional state.

The majority of respondents (55%) reported going to bed between 10pm and midnight, while almost a third (27%) went to bed after midnight. 47% of respondents woke up between 6am and 8am, and 36% between 4am and 6am, due to work and school schedules.

UAE residents are woken up by an alarm clock (81%), followed by family members or roommates (30%), daylight (27%) and birdsong (7%). Other wake-up calls include the sound of a kettle boiling, the smell of breakfast, the bodys circadian rhythm and the call to prayer.