The Korea Herald

지나쌤

Majority of Korean office workers sleep deprived

By Amber Anne Roos

Published : Dec. 4, 2023 - 11:04

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More than half of Korean company employees report for office duty on less than seven hours of sleep, a recent report showed.

According to a survey conducted on 880 participants by the online job portal Incruit, 56.3 percent of office workers get only four to six hours of slumber daily. In second place, 41.6 percent of participants listed an average of seven to nine hours.

The Korean Society of Sleep Medicine recommends at least six to eight hours of sleep, warning that sleeping less than six hours might negatively impact one's ability to focus.

Eight out of 10 participants reported they viewed seven to nine hours of sleep as satisfactory.

Most commonly, participants noted having too much to do after office hours – such as housework – as the main culprit for not getting their desired amount of shut-eye.

Additionally, 58.3 percent showed discontent with the quality of their sleep. A majority admitted that usage of electronic devices before bed and work stress prevented them from having a good night's sleep.

In an effort to battle sleep deprivation, going to bed as early as possible and avoiding caffeinated drinks were the most often recurring strategies listed.