A government survey in Japan revealed that 45.5% of its workers sleep less than six hours per night on average.
The survey results: The recent survey found that 10% of respondents slept less than five hours, 35.5% slept between five and six hours and 35.2% slept between six and seven hours.
About the study: The study is based on a survey of 10,000 employees in Japan. Among the respondents, 45.4% said the ideal amount of sleep was between seven and eight hours, while 17.1% said more than eight hours.
Risk of depression: The study indicated that about 70% of those who obtained an ideal amount of sleep were not at risk of depression or anxiety, but this figure dropped to below 40% for those sleeping three to five hours less than the ideal.
The survey revealed that workers who were four hours short of their ideal sleep duration had a 27.4% likelihood of suffering from severe depression or anxiety disorders, while those who were five hours short had a 38.5% likelihood.
Maintaining a healthy mental state: The health ministry’s findings highlight the increased risk of mental health issues for individuals who experience sleep deprivation. The health ministry’s findings underscore the need to address long working hours in Japan.
“There is a need to rectify long working hours and enable workers to get more sleep so they can maintain a healthy mental state,” an official of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said.
