Lack of sleep poses a risk to a huge number of people in China

China's teenagers aren't getting enough sleep, according to the results of a survey released this year by the Chinese Sleep Research Society. Around 81 percent of 13-17 year-olds are getting less than the 8-10 hours a night recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Academic pressure and the late-night use of electronic devices were named as the two biggest culprits contributing to the problem.

A kid plays a mobile phone game at the Eye Clinic at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School Of Medicine on February 15, 2019. [File Photo: IC]

The findings are in line with results released on Thursday of a survey of 1,134 college students by China Youth News Network. It found that more than 1-in-3 students were falling asleep after midnight, and getting less than seven hours sleep a night.

Many people in China don't get enough sleep, and the problem is especially severe in China's first-tier cities. According to a report released in March last year by the Chinese Sleep Research Society, young adults in Beijing are getting the least amount of sleep – less than the seven hours recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control for people aged 18 to 60. And people in finance have the worst sleep time due to the work pressure.

[File Photo: IC]

These results follow on from earlier research conducted by the sleep research group. In 2016 they warned thatmore than 300 million people in China had difficulty falling asleep.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has said that a lack of sleep can contribute to the development of many chronic health conditions, including Type-2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression.