Pilot Parliamentary Sleep Survey results reveal shared challenges between MPs and shift workers
PILOT PARLIAMENTARY SLEEP SURVEY RESULTS REVEAL SHARED CHALLENGES BETWEEN MPs AND SHIFT WORKERS
MPs, Peers, and parliamentary staffers were asked to assess their own sleep health in a pilot survey, with over 45% of respondents reporting sleep difficulties on at least half of the nights of a week.
In collaboration with the Universities of East Anglia and Oxford, our Great Parliamentary Sleep Survey aims to gain fresh insight into sleep among those working in Parliament – an unusual workplace. These problems mirror those often experienced by the general population, highlighting the critical need for sleep to be a priority on the public health agenda. It also intends to raise awareness of the UK’s 8.7 million night workers and the need for greater consideration of their health and wellbeing by policy makers.
The survey was spearheaded by Lord Tom Watson, who wanted to raise awareness and understanding of the challenges night workers face and how a serious lack of sleep can impact their health, starting with his parliamentary colleagues.
When asked to consider their sleep, over 40% of parliamentarians found they were rarely satisfied with the quality of their sleep.78% of respondents were routinely getting less than the average 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
Working in Parliament is not a typical 9-5 job, with long nights in the chamber, early interviews and travelling to support constituents all common features. The results show that while Parliamentarians aren’t working night shifts, they do work unusual hours, and therefore they (and likely the wider public in similar situations) have more in common than they might realise with our nighttime workers who struggle with their sleep.
We already know from previous research that lack of sleep in the workforce has a significant impact on the British economy – a cost of £52 billion per year in the UK. This includes £35 billion in productivity losses due to inadequate sleep amongst the workforce, and £17 billion in health and other costs resulting from poor sleep.
Alongside the negative impact on UK PLC, night shift patterns also increase demand on the NHS due to workers being 44% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes and 37% more likely to have a heart attack, by working night shifts.
Night Club is calling for increased protections for night workers. Supported by a cross-party group of MPs, our policy asks include offering annual health checks for night workers, appointing a minister responsible for night shift workers and increased research into the impacts of working this shift pattern.
Lord Tom Watson, Labour Peer and champion of the Night Club campaign, commented, “It’s shocking, but perhaps not surprising how common sleep challenges appear to be for those of us working in Parliament. Although we might not be working night shifts, we have more in common than we realise with shift workers.
“Tackling sleep deprivation and supporting night time workers is a critical public health issue. Night workers are important members of the UK economy – whether they are looking after our health or ensuring our goods are delivered on time – we as policy makers, as well as employers, need to play our role as part of their duty of care.”
Sarah Douglas, Founder of Night Club, welcomed the survey results, “The inaugural Great Parliamentary Sleep Survey has shown how poor sleep can impact the health and wellbeing of parliamentarians and their staff – the impact on those working the night shift can be greater still. We have a moral duty to support shift workers, but there is also a huge economic opportunity from doing so.
“We want the government to take action in supporting night workers through a requirement for employers to provide an annual health check for their staff, greater research into the impacts of night work and a designated minister responsible for this critical group of workers.”