Over 1 million UK workers are Sleep Drunk

Although drink driving is socially unacceptable sleep deprivation is so extreme in the UK that 1 million people are doing the equivalent of getting behind the wheel intoxicated every day, without alcohol passing their lips, having a profound impact on their employer and workplace.

The data, from vielife’s online health & wellbeing assessment, also shows that one in three or approximately 100 million European working adults suffer from ‘poor sleep’. These people are living in danger of a semi-conscious existence equal to repeatedly driving their car well over the alcohol limit.

Being ‘sleep drunk’ is caused by the tiredness felt after prolonged waking hours which has the equivalent effect as a raised blood alcohol level above the legal limit to drive.

Tony Massey, vielife’s chief medical officer and ‘Sleep Doctor’ says: “Being ‘Sleep Drunk’ is a common issue that causes personal and work life issues and a healthy lifestyle is at the heart of solving it.”

The data is based on ‘sleep scores’ recorded by users of vielife’s online health & wellbeing platform. A sleep score indicates the overall quality and satisfaction of a person’s sleep as part of a wider ‘wellbeing score’ used to help people identify and work to improve their health issues.