Female employees don’t get as much sleep as their male colleagues, or their sleep isn’t of the same quality. Among female Swedish employees, 29% toss and turn in bed or have problems falling asleep, while only 19% of men suffer similar issues. It is Previa, a health company, that has polled 55,000 employees in Sweden and mapped out these numbers. "Sleep is important for a lot of reasons," says Per Larsson, in charge of behavioral management at Previa. 'Important for our ability to perform well, for recovery and overall health."

According to earlier research by the Karolinska Institute several illnesses can be traced back to deprivation of a good night's sleep. The institute has estimated that over 11% of the Swedish population suffer from sleeping disorders.

In the U.S. the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that about a third of Americans don’t get enough sleep. Among people ages 25 to 54, nearly 40 percent reported getting fewer than seven hours of sleep. The CDC in a report in March 2011 said sleep difficulties can be associated with mental disorders, limited daily functioning, injury and mortality rates. (The CDC report was based on a survey of nearly 75,000 people in 2009)

Previa has tips for you if you do have problems with your sleep: Make sure your bedroom is dark and cool, add exercise to your routine and loosen up on your ambitions.

More information / Source: Previa.se (in Swedish only)