Photo: VCG

Average sleep time of Chinese people in 2021 was 1.5 hours shorter compared with a decade ago, according to a research report released before the World Sleep Day on Monday. 

According to the Chinese Sleep Research Report 2022, the average sleep time of Chinese decreased from 8.5 hours in 2012 to 7.06 hours in 2021, a reduction of 1.5 hours. Only 35 percent Chinese can get eight hours of sleep. 

The factors that affect people's sleep include putting off bedtime to play on mobile phones or surf the internet, long work or study hours that cut into sleep time, insomnia and other sleep disorders. 

Sleeping problems commonly exist among new moms, students and workers. 

The research shows that 42.35 percent of Chinese work or study for more than eight hours every day, including 3.54 percent who even work or study for more than 12 hours which also accounted for the inadequate sleep. 

The research also found 11.33 percent of Chinese workers have the habit of drinking tea or coffee every day and over 60 percent depend on tea or coffee to refresh themselves at work. 

The report also pointed out that the importance of sleep research must be raised and it should be regarded as an important measurement of people's mental health, happiness, quality of life and social quality. Sleep should be an important indicator of social development, the report remarked.