Warning over 'work and play hard' culture

The "work hard, play hard" culture may not only lead to poor performance - it may also spell long-term health problems, experts are warning.

The younger generation, for whom the nine-to-five working day is almost unknown, has become accustomed to foregoing a good night's rest in pursuit of leisure activities and is oblivious to the dangers of sleep deprivation, a conference into sleep will hear today.

Dr Derk-Jan Dijk, from the University of Surrey, will tell the Sleepless Society conference at the Royal Society of Medicine that specialists are becoming increasingly concerned about the impact of longer waking hours on health.

He told the Evening Standard: "People are probably sleeping less than they were 20 or 40 years ago. We work longer, we are awake for longer and there are more things to do, particularly since the advent of television and the internet."

Studies have shown that, on average, people are getting only 6.2 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period, rather than the recommended eight.

Dr Dijk said: "There has been research about how sleep deprivation affects performance, but people are now starting to look more closely about the impact on health."

He warned: "The risk of cardiovascular disease is increased among people who work shifts or have disturbed sleep patterns, and sleep deprivation may be linked to diabetes and obesity, said Dr Dijk.

"There is a danger for the new generation, who have grown up with television and computers and often enter a workplace where there is an accepted culture of working long hours.

"Even if there is regulation over hours, people often spend time commuting and family life can also make it difficult to get enough sleep," he said.

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