Britons are suffering from the lack of a good night's sleep according to the latest findings from Relaxsan, the 'no springs!' mattress company.

These latest findings show that the average Briton is surviving on just six hours and forty minutes sleep each night. Recent research from the
University of Pennsylvania suggests that people who only receive six hours sleep make 11 times more errors than they would normally make - the same as people who have been awake for two days straight.*

The top reason for sleepless nights amongst Britons is stress at home (39%). Women are more likely to suffer from a restless night's sleep over stresses in the home, with almost half (47%) blaming this for their bouts of insomnia. Men are less susceptible to stress in the home, under a third (31%) found that this gave them sleepless nights.

Stresses in the workplace also rate highly on the list of reasons for Brits' lack of sleep. Over a third (37%) said that they could not get work out of their heads for long enough to fall into a decent night's slumber. Those in their twenties are most likely to suffer from work related stress, over half (52%) blamed this for their lack of sleep.

Temperature is also a factor for many Brits. Being either too hot or too cold in bed has led to 34 per cent of Brits suffering from sleepless nights. An uncomfortable mattress is often also a problem.

Almost one in five Brits (19%) suffers insomnia due to problems with their mattresses. The problem is most acute amongst those in their twenties, 28 per cent blame poor mattresses for their lack of sleep.

Other causes for a bad night's sleep include partners - either by taking over the bed or by snoring. Wearing restrictive clothing is also blamed for causing sleepless nights.

Robert Badman, UK Head of Sales, Relaxsan, said: "It is essential to our well being that we receive a good night's sleep. Whilst this varies from person to person, on average we would recommend eight hours each night. A lack of sleep can affect our lives in many detrimental ways. Although we are aware of the barriers to sleep we all face, it is important to take some time to forget about the stresses of the day, make ourselves as comfortable as possible and relax. A good night's rest is essential for being in fighting form the next day."

Reasons for Sleepless Nights

Stress at home -39%
Stress at work - 37%
Room temperature - 34%
Uncomfortable mattress - 19%
Partner getting in the way - 17%
Restrictive clothing - 6%

* Source: Metro, 03/01/06