Four in ten Belgians sleep badly

6 October 2004

BRUSSELS – Some 43 percent of Belgians have trouble sleeping a new study has revealed.

The survey was carried out by consumer body Test-Achats on a sample of 2,643 Belgians.

A total of 29percent of those questioned said they woke up several times during the night.

A further 23 percent wake very early and do not manage to fall asleep again.

Seventeen percent have difficulties in falling asleep and 46 percent do not have enough sleep.

Belgium’s insomnia holds many consequences for daily life, including tiredness, irritability, slow reflexes and a lack of concentration.

Many people doze off in front of the TV, or when they are a passenger in a car, the study found.

One bad sleeper in four takes medicine to tackle the problem and a quarter of this group has been taking medicine for at least four years.

Subject: Belgian news