London is officially the city that never sleeps, according to new data looking at the number of people suffering with insomnia.
Research conducted using NHS England data has revealed the number of people being diagnosed with sleep disorders and being referred to sleep studies and ‘Sleep Medicine’ appointments across the country.
And London is top of the list with a whopping 286,182 referrals between 2012 and 2023.
The data was analysed by Click Pharmacy, who used NHS England data, to find that the capital is the most sleep-deprived area in the country.
A spokesman said: “Sleep is critically important for all of us, and a lack of sleep can lead to significant damage to both our physical and mental health. Unfortunately, many across England struggle to get a good night’s sleep.
“While most of us may find it difficult to fall asleep from time to time, there are a significant number of people that suffer from sleep disorders — health conditions that directly impact one’s ability to sleep — and the impact these disorders can have is sadly very severe.”
Click Pharmacy analysed all data collated from 2012 up until 2023 to determine which regions have seen the highest number of sleep study referrals in total.
They found that London has seen the highest volume of sleep studies out of any region in England — recording 286,182 sleep studies between 2012 and 2023. In the four months between January and April 2023, London recorded 12,982 sleep studies — a much higher amount than any other region.
Following London was the East of England, which recorded 192,289 since 2012, with 5,891 between January and April this year.
In the North-West, sleep problems are also on the up. There have been 170,990 sleep studies since 2012, with 5,656 between January and April.
The best sleepers in England are in the East Midlands, with people living there finding it easier to have a good snooze.
Since 2012, they have only had 56,727 sleep study referrals since 2012. The region also recorded 2,832 sleep studies in the four months between January and April 2023.
Jana Abelovska, superintendent pharmacist at Click Pharmacy, said that it appears that sleep issues are becoming more of an issue as time goes on.
She said: “Ideally, your average adult should be getting around eight hours of sleep each night. This is crucial for ensuring that our bodies are able to recover from the events of the day and have the strength and energy required to put our best foot forward in the morning.
“However, for many, this is simply not possible — largely due to sleep disorders that make it extremely difficult to sleep through the night.
“Sleep disorders can have a very significant impact on the quality of life of those that suffer from them, often leading to a lack of focus, exhaustion, and even mental health issues such as depression or high levels of stress.
“Despite being such a serious issue, there is very little discussion over how prevalent sleep disorders are in England.
“Through our research, we aimed to raise awareness about how common sleep disorders are across the country, alongside identifying any trends in terms of the number of patients experiencing sleep troubles over time.
“What we found indicates that sleep disorders have actually become far more common as time has gone on — which shows an even greater need for awareness and understanding around these conditions.”
