The greater your seniority, the more you sleep: 77% of CEOs say they sleep enough – UK study

Does having more responsibilities mean you get less sleep? Well, not exactly…

The vast majority of CEOs say that they get enough sleep, only being surpassed by one level of seniority, Chairpersons, a recently-published UK-based survey has highlighted.

Consumer product testing company Expert Reviews and market research firm YouGov recently surveyed 4,270 adults in the UK to explore the nation’s sleep habits. While asking about the quality of their sleep, the survey also looked at other related factors, such as age, parenthood, mattresses, as well as job seniority.

Interestingly, the survey highlighted that people in more senior roles are happier with the amount of sleep that they get every night.

In fact, Chairpersons emerged as the top seniority when it comes to who says they get the most sleep, with all respondents stating they are happy with their sleep schedules. This was closely followed by CEOs at 77 per cent.

Directors (51 per cent) and owners (45 per cent) came next in the rankings. The further down the business hierarchy one goes, the less sleep they get, with only 40 per cent and just 38 per cent of individuals without any management responsibilities saying they get enough sleep.

This may come as a surprise for many, especially when considering that people tend to feel that with added responsibilities, comes added stress, hindering one’s ability to get sufficient sleep. Yet as explained in the survey, this seems to be far from the case.

Another section of the survey analysed which members of companies are most likely to get the recommended seven hours of sleep, at the very least, each night.

In this statistic, Chairpersons once again came out on top, with 77 per cent stating that they do so. CEOs and Directors came in second (70 per cent) and third (66 per cent), respectively. 60 per cent of owners stated that they sleep at least seven hours a day, while 57 per cent of managers said they do so.

Only approximately half (51 per cent) of the respondents who worked in positions with no management responsibilities agreed that they get the recommended amount of sleep every day.

Getting enough sleep is a crucial part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. As health specialists explained to MaltaCEOs.mt earlier this year, successful entrepreneurs often realise that their own health is a crucial part of their organisation’s success. Investing in one’s well-being through the right sleeping patterns, having a balanced diet, and exercising will lead to increased productivity, creativity, and resilience.

The survey explained that sleep is “one of the most productive things” one can do, allowing the body to recharge and the brain to function properly. “Forget those myths about CEOs getting by on four hours’ shut-eye: lots of sleep is what makes them CEOs,” it added.

In fact, 48 per cent of CEOs that responded to the survey remarked that they nap often. CEOs were also 36 per cent more likely than non-managerial employees to say that they nap.

Recent studies have found that taking a short nap during the day can go a long way in helping protect the brain’s health as it ages. In response to this, there have been calls for napping to become part of the working day, allowing employees to get a few minutes of rest in a bid to prioritise their well-being and in turn, increase productivity.

However, the survey noted that it is not just about the amount of sleep one gets, it is also about the quality of sleep. 82 per cent of Chairpersons and 74 per cent of CEOs rated their sleep as good or excellent. 58 per cent of Directors said that they regularly get good night’s sleep.

In direct contrast to this, owners joined managers and employees with no management responsibilities in the bottom end of the rankings. This could be because owners and self-employed people have to constantly worry about the future of their business, being unable to truly switch off and give their brain the rest it needs.