NEWS | People in Herefordshire are working more hours on average every week than in any other part of the UK – according to a recent research

New research has revealed the top areas in England with the highest average working hours and Herefordshire, County of features in 1st place with a total of 39.6 per week. 

Experts at Make My Blinds have carried out research to reveal the areas of England where residents are getting the best and worst night’s sleep based on factors such as anxiety levels, life satisfaction, noise complaints, sleep-related online searches, unemployment figures and average working hours.

You can view the full research here – https://makemyblinds.co.uk/sleepless-cities/ 

Top areas of England with the highest average working hours 

Rank	Local Authority	Median Working Hours per Week
1	Herefordshire, County of	39.6
2	Kingston upon Hull, City of	39
3	Doncaster	38.9
4	Thurrock	38.6
5	Torbay	38
5	Dudley	38
7	Barnsley	37.8
7	St. Helens	37.8
9	Shropshire	37.6
9	Rutland	37.6

Herefordshire County of tops the list as the area in England with the highest average working hours than any other, with a total of 39.6 hours per week.

The area is known for its trading industry, from cider to poultry, and its success is likely the result of the resident’s dedication to their job.

However, this may come at a cost, as there is a relationship between long working hours and sleep disturbance. 

The research also revealed the following:

Conversely, Wiltshire boasts the lowest noise complaint rate in the nation, with a mere 1.1 complaints per 1,000 residents.

When looking at unemployment rates, Birmingham has the highest at 7.8%, with South Tyneside just behind at 7.6%.

Between August 2021 and July 2023, there were 22,570 sleep-related searches carried out online in Liverpool, which is more than in other areas of England. Of the total figure, over 21,000 of those searches were ‘insomnia’.

Colette Toman, interior stylist at Make My Blinds has commented on how to create a bedroom that will improve your sleep quality:

“We’re all aware of changes we can make to our lifestyle to improve our sleep quality. Some of the factors include the foods we consume, how regularly we exercise and the importance of limiting screen time in the run-up to bedtime, but the environment you’re sleeping in can be just as important.

One of the main factors contributing towards poor sleep quality is the amount of natural light entering the room you’re sleeping in, so the ideal solution is to invest in the correct window coverings, such as a blackout roller blind.

This type of window covering is the perfect solution to blocking out natural light and helping you to sleep for longer.

As well as reducing the amount of natural light entering the room, certain types of blinds also help to control the room temperature, which according to experts, needs to be between 16-18°C.

By controlling the temperature that you’re sleeping in, you’ll be able to promote a more structured sleep routine which won’t come at a big financial cost.”

You can view the full research again by clicking here.