Londoners are more sleep deprived than the rest of the UK

If you're half-asleep while you're reading this, it's probably because you spent last night binge-watching 'Gilmore Girls', endlessly refreshing Facebook or frantically trying to meet a deadline – basically doing anything other than catching those precious 40 winks. It'll come as no surprise, then, to hear that Londoners are the most sleep-deprived people in the country. 

Research carried out by comparethemarket.com found that a third of us are too busy to catch a decent night's sleep. The survey also found that Londoners are 'too busy' to clean the house, although that sounds like a case of lazyitus rather than fatigue.

As well as leaving us grouchy, overworked and wishing the office had a nap room, lack of sleep comes with health and financial costs. A separate study found that the UK is hemorrhaging £40 million a year due to tired employees skipping work or showing up bleary-eyed and muddling through the day. 

And it gets worse. Apparently those sleeping for less than six hours a night are 13 percent more likely to die earlier than those cheery, energetic types who clock up seven to nine hours. It's an early night for us, then. Just kidding, 'Gilmore Girls' won't watch itself. 

Photo: Jenny/Flickr

Here are five things to do in London when you can't sleep.