Could your job give you a good night’s sleep?

Could not having a job cause you sleepless nights no matter how comfy your French antique bed is? Unemployed Americans find it more difficult to get a good night's sleep than those in employment do, a new study has found. A survey by Consumer Reports revealed that 69 per cent of jobless people found it difficult to fall and stay asleep, while just 59 per cent of employed people had the same problems. Of all the 26,451 subscribers to Consumer Reports magazine who took part in the study, 57 per cent said staying asleep throughout the night was more of a problem than dropping off in the first place. In fact, one in three found they wake up three or more times each night. Interestingly, given the finding that the employed sleep more soundly than the unemployed, the top response when participants were asked why they could not sleep was “work-related stress”. While 47 per cent of respondents cited work as the reason for their sleep deprivation, 28 per cent said it was due to health issues and 22 per cent cited financial worries as their sleep-stealer. Senior associate editor for Consumer Reports Jamie Hirsh said: "For most people, getting to sleep isn't as much of an issue as staying asleep is." He went on to say that some of Consumer Reports’ readers found a degree of relief in the form of lifestyle changes. After analysing the answers of 15,500 participants who had reported sleep issues spanning three nights or more each week, Consumer Reports found that several people reported that regular exercise, yoga, deep-breathing exercises, or meditation helped them “a lot”. This is positive news for those who wish to turn to lifestyle changes to help their sleep problems .