Britain is running on empty. New data reveals the nation is losing an estimated 22 billion hours of sleep every year, as millions of people fall short of the rest they think they need. [1]
On average, adults in the UK get just 6.4 hours of sleep per night, despite reporting they need around 7.5 hours to feel properly rested. Over the course of a week, that creates a sleep deficit of more than eight hours per person, the equivalent of losing an entire night’s sleep.
For people already living with long-term health conditions, that gap can feel even harder to close.
How Well Do You Sleep?
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A Nation Running on Less Sleep Than It Needs
According to a survey of 4,000 UK adults commissioned by Curaleaf Clinic and conducted by OnePoll, the picture is stark.
Sleep deprivation is no longer an occasional inconvenience; it’s becoming the norm for many. Nearly half of adults describe themselves as sleep deprived, rising to over half of those living with diagnosed health conditions. For a significant portion of the population, sleep is severely restricted, with one in four getting fewer than five hours a night.
Disrupted sleep is often caused by a mix of physical and psychological factors. Night-time waking is common, with many people waking at least twice per night, most frequently in the early hours between 2am and 3am. Stress, anxiety, pain, and even everyday habits all play a role in preventing consistent, restorative sleep. [1]
The Health Impact of Poor Sleep
The effects of poor sleep extend far beyond feeling tired the next day. Even a single night of disrupted rest can affect focus, patience, and emotional regulation. Over time, the impact becomes more pronounced, with people reporting increased stress, reduced resilience, and declining mental wellbeing.
For those living with chronic conditions, the consequences can be even more significant. Poor sleep can worsen symptoms, increase sensitivity to pain, and make it harder for the body to recover. It can also affect memory, immune function, and the ability to manage everyday tasks, creating a cycle that is difficult to break.
Research consistently suggests that the following groups are at higher risk of sleep disruption:
- People living with chronic pain conditions
- Those with anxiety
- People managing neurological conditions
- Adults over 65
- People working irregular or shift patterns
What Happens to Your Body When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep?
Sleep is not simply rest – it is an active, essential process. During sleep, the body repairs tissue, consolidates memories, regulates hormones, and supports the immune system. When sleep is cut short or frequently disrupted, each of these processes can suffer.
Even a single night of poor sleep can affect:
- Concentration and decision-making
- Emotional regulation and patience
- Sensitivity to pain
- Blood sugar regulation
- Immune response
Over time, the effects become more significant. Persistent poor sleep is associated with increased stress, reduced resilience, and declining mental wellbeing. For people already managing a long-term condition, these effects can compound existing symptoms and make daily life more difficult.
The relationship between sleep and pain is particularly well-documented. Poor sleep can lower the threshold at which pain is felt. This means discomfort that would be manageable on a good night’s rest may feel more intense after a broken one. This creates a cycle that, for many, becomes very difficult to break.
Why Sleep “Hacks” Often Fall Short
Most people have tried at least one sleep remedy. According to a YouGov survey, 80% of UK adults have attempted some kind of sleep “hack”, [2] however our findings suggest many report limited benefit.
Among people with diagnosed conditions:
- 64% say sleep sprays don’t work
- 53% find herbal remedies ineffective
- 42% say changing mattresses or pillows didn’t help
- 29% found prescribed sleeping medication unsatisfactory
- 16% turn to alcohol [1]
The reality is that sleep is complex. Quick fixes rarely address the root causes, especially when sleep disruption is linked to chronic pain, anxiety, or long-term health issues.
What Works: Evidence-Based Approaches for Sleep
CBT-I is recommended as the first-line treatment for insomnia by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). It focuses on identifying and changing thoughts and behaviours that contribute to poor sleep and has a strong evidence base behind it.
CBT-I is not a quick fix, but the evidence suggests it can produce durable improvements in sleep quality, even for people who have struggled for years.
Sleep hygiene refers to habits and routines that support better sleep. While these alone are unlikely to resolve significant sleep problems, they can support other treatments and help stabilise sleep patterns over time. Evidence-based recommendations include:
- Going to bed and waking at the same time each day — including weekends
- Only going to bed when you feel sleepy
- Keeping the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet
- Avoiding screens in the hour before bed
- Limiting caffeine, particularly in the afternoon and evening
- If you cannot sleep, getting up and returning to bed when you feel tired — rather than lying awake
Medications can also be considered in individuals who have failed to gain benefits from the above measures such as hypnotics for short-term management or medications which act on the orexin receptor for longer treatment regimens.
When conventional approaches don’t provide sufficient relief, particularly in cases linked to chronic conditions, alternative options may be considered as part of a wider care plan. Data from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry shows that 44% of patients with a diagnosed health condition reported a clinically significant improvement in sleep following medical cannabis treatment.[3]
You can read the full insomnia paper and other UK Medical Cannabis Registry studies on our Real World Evidence page. Just scroll down to publications.
You can also read more about medical cannabis and sleep in our patient guide over on the blog.
Breaking the Cycle of Poor Sleep
You do not need to overhaul your entire routine overnight. Small, consistent changes can make a meaningful difference over time. Here are some evidence-based starting points:
1. Fix your wake time first
Waking at the same time every day is one of the most effective ways to stabilise your sleep pattern. It builds up your sleep drive, making it easier to fall asleep the following night.
2. Only use bed for sleep
Working, scrolling, or watching television in bed trains your brain to associate the bedroom with wakefulness. Keep the bed for sleep (and intimacy) only.
3. Build a wind-down routine
Give your mind and body time to shift into rest mode before bed. A calm, predictable routine can signal to your nervous system that sleep is approaching.
4. If you cannot sleep, get up
Lying awake in bed increases frustration and reinforces the association between bed and wakefulness. If you have been awake for more than 20 minutes, get up, go to another room, and do something calm until you feel sleepy again.
5. Address the root cause
If your sleep problems are linked to pain, anxiety, or a long-term health condition, addressing sleep in isolation may not be enough. Speak to your GP or a specialist about what might be driving the problem and what a broader plan of support might look like.
Watch our sleep video for more tips
The Bottom Line
The UK’s sleep crisis is affecting millions, with consequences that reach far beyond fatigue. Poor sleep impacts physical health, mental wellbeing, and quality of life, especially for those already managing long-term conditions.
We see that for many people in the UK, once they develop insomnia it becomes very difficult to break that cycle.
The good news is that poor sleep is not inevitable. With the right understanding, consistent habits, and appropriate professional support, improvements may be possible. CBT-I remains the gold-standard first-line treatment, and specialist input may be helpful for those whose sleep problems are tied to underlying conditions.
While the scale of the problem is significant, so too is the opportunity to address it. With the right understanding, habits, and support, better sleep may be possible—and can play an important role in overall health.
References
1. Research conducted on behalf of Curaleaf clinic by OnePoll between 21st January 2026 and 4th February 2026 among a nationally representative sample size of 4,000 UK adults, including 1,596 patients with a diagnosed physical and/or mental health condition
2. YouGov – What are the top sleep hacks people around the world use to get better rest?
3. Medical Cannabis for Insomnia: Latest Findings from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry
