People have
started to lose sleep over global warming, according to one of the biggest
studies conducted on the subject till date. An average global citizen is losing
nearly 44 hours of sleep a year, causing them to spend 11 nights without the
stipulated seven hours of sleep, the stipulated amount of sleep required for
healthy functioning.

Women, as on several
other accounts, seem to have lost more sleep. The study, published in the
journal One Earth, found women above 65 years of age lost double the amount of
sleep compared to men and three times the amount of sleep in poorer countries.

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The physiological
impact of climate change has long been apparent. Rising temperatures have led
to increased risk of heart attacks, suicides, even accidents among other health
crises. Global warming has also led to a decrease in productivity for nations.

The research found
that warmer than average temperatures erode human sleep. “It might actually be
the tip of the iceberg, because it’s very likely our estimates are
conservative,” said Kelton Minor of the University of Copenhagen, who led the
research, speaking to the Guardian.

“For most of us,
sleep is a very familiar part of our daily routing; we spend nearly a third of
our lives asleep,” added Minor stressing on the importance of sleep for the
human body.

The lead
researched added that huge populations across the planet are losing sleep due
to rising temperatures. Giving an example, Minor said, in a night above 25 degrees
Celsius, nearly 46,000 people across the world will sleep less. “And if you look
at the heatwave that’s transpiring right now in India and Pakistan, we’re
talking about billions of individuals exposed to conditions expected to result
in considerable sleep loss.”

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The study
collected data on weather from 2015 to 2017 and found that higher temperatures
reduce sleep by delaying onset. Women lose greater sleep because their bodies
cool faster than men’s. The study found the impact on sleep was evident in all
countries, even those that had naturally cooler temperatures.