More than half of British people wake up in the middle of the night worrying about their health

And we're doing it at the exact same time

Olivia Petter
Wednesday 26 July 2017 16:56 BST
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(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

New research by Bupa Health Clinics has revealed that 32 million Brits wake up worrying about their health at precisely 4.05am.

The report, which surveyed 4,000 British adults, revealed that more than three fifths of us wake up in the middle of the night, concerned that something on our to-do list hasn’t been checked off.

So, what’s keeping us counting sheep?

(iStock (iStock)

The most common things are overdue dental check-ups (25 per cent) losing weight (23 per cent) and talking to someone about stress or a mental health issue (20 per cent).

“Modern influences such as busy lifestyles and social media pressures are some of the contributing factors to these being ranked so highly on the worry scale," explains Dr Petra Simic, Lead Physician, Bupa Health Clinic.

These were closely followed by booking a GP appointment for a niggling symptom, getting a general health check-up and getting a mole checked.

Despite our worries, however, the study also found that one in five Britons admit that health tasks are the least likely thing to be ticked off their to-do list. Instead, we prioritise work, finances and relationships.

The main concern with the results is that this kind of anxiety can perpetuate further issues such as high blood pressure and heart palpitations.

Mental health concerns such as stress management ranked surprisingly high on the scale. "While the nation should feel encouraged to get these concerns ticked off the list, the fact that these issues are on the list in the first place, rather than being completely ignored, is a move in the right direction,” argued Dr Simic.

So, how to combat a sleepless, anxiety-ridden nation?

Dr Luke James, Medical Director at Bupa Health Clinics advises enlisting a close friend or relative to keep tabs on your health. If someone you trust encourages you to get something checked, you’ll naturally be more inclined to do so.

Another suggestion is to take yourself to your favourite coffee or breakfast spot at least once a month and work through your to-do list of concerns one-by-one.

Alternatively, book yourself in for a health MOT, which can go over all of your concerns in one hit. Bish, bash, bosh.

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