Curaleaf Clinic: Britain is losing sleep, but the burden isn’t falling equally

LONDON, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — New research shows the average Briton gets just 6.4 hours of sleep a night despite needing 7.5, leaving a weekly deficit of 8.1 hours per person. That’s the equivalent of a full night’s sleep lost every week.

As a result, more than four in ten adults describe themselves as sleep deprived, and a further 25% of the population get less than five hours a night.

But while poor sleep is a national problem, the health toll is far from shared equally.

According to the research, which comes from Curaleaf Clinic, the UK’s first legal medical cannabis clinic, more than half of people with diagnosed health conditions describe themselves as sleep deprived (54%), compared to 44% of the general population.

Over a quarter of those with a diagnosed condition would do “anything” for a good night’s rest. For this group, the consequences go well beyond fatigue as nearly one in five report their symptoms worsen with poor sleep, 21% say they fall ill more easily, and 24% experience impaired memory.

Despite growing demand for solutions, many struggle to find a solution that works.

Among people with diagnosed conditions, two thirds report sleep sprays haven’t worked, over half find herbal supplements ineffective. Furthermore nearly a third say prescribed sleeping medication failed to provide satisfactory relief. Sixteen percent even admit to turning to alcohol.

Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia remains the recommended first-line treatment, but where that hasn’t worked, and other conventional treatments have fallen short, specialist-prescribed medical cannabis may be considered. Data from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry shows 44% of patients with a diagnosed condition reported a clinically significant improvement in sleep following treatment.

Tom Evans, a Curaleaf Clinic patient, said: “For years, poor sleep was just part of life with ADHD. Since starting medical cannabis, I sleep through the night, my focus is better and my mood is more stable. It’s completely changed how I function day to day.”

Dr Simon Erridge, Director of Research at Curaleaf Clinic, said: “Emerging evidence shows that some patients prescribed medical cannabis report improvements in sleep quality, helping to break the cycle of disrupted rest and declining wellbeing.”

Not sure how your sleep measures up? Take this online sleep quiz and discover more about Britain’s sleep deficit at www.curaleafclinic.com/britains-sleep-crisis

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