Over the last six months more than 100,000 people from 160 countries participated in an online wellness survey proving that lack of sleep is harming the wellness of business professionals globally.
Visit Finland conducted this survey in partnership with Hintsa, the global leader in human high-performance coaching. Of those surveyed, one in three (33%) respondents sleep less than six hours per night and one out of two (51%) feel their everyday recovery is compromised.
Heli Jimenez, Senior Director, International Marketing at Business Finland, said: “The results help explain why wellness travel is on the rise. People are looking for new ways to improve their wellbeing, performance and increase the time spent in nature through their travels as well.
“Finland has all the makings of a great getaway from stress. Nature and urban life can be found side by side here. Our glorious forests, lakes, clean air and tranquillity make Finland a great destination for those looking for balance.”
As part of the Rent a Finn initiative Visit Finland welcomed visitors to experience the Finnish way of life. One of the visitors was 21-year-old Charlene from Singapore, who commented: “This has been a life-changing experience. I can feel calm and peace inside of me. People in Finland don’t really see nature as a means to an end. Everyone just loves it and values it as a part of their daily lives.”
Analysing the results further, Hintsa’s Coaching Director, Mikko Lilja sees many challenges that manifest around the world.
Lilja, said: “The amount and quality of sleep are in direct correlation with your vitality, resilience and resistance to illness. Sleep also helps us learn new things. If you neglect sleep in order to put in more hours at work, you might be doing yourself a disservice.
“More than half (51%) feel their daily recovery is compromised. Adequate rest is also an issue, as one in three (33%) said they typically sleep less than six hours per night. Fragmentation is also a common problem, as more than half (53%) feel that constant interruptions during the workday are taking their toll.
“Activities in nature, such as forest walks, and trail running are easy ways to add exercise and active recovery into your day.”
The survey also suggests that people have a hard time finding time for exercise. Two out of three (66%) stated that exercise is not part of their daily routine.
