DR VICTORIA REVELL is a chronobiologist based at the University of Surrey, and acts as a sleep expert for Lumie, a light therapy specialist
We’re chronically sleep deprived as a nation. One third of us gets by on just five to six hours sleep a night, according to figures from the Great British Bedtime report. And, now more than ever, we know it’s a pattern that could have a negative impact on our health in the short and long term.
We all feel more refreshed and ready to cope with whatever life throws at us after a good night’s rest. While experts argue about sleep’s exact function, it’s long been recognised as the time when the brain and body repair and regenerate. However, the latest studies indicate that good-quality sleep is even more vital to our overall health and wellbeing than we first thought. Research in 2014, by Surrey University, found too little sleep appears to throw our metabolism out of kilter, while studies also suggest it weakens the immune system. Lack of sleep has been linked to a higher risk of a variety of conditions, including obesity and type 2 diabetes.