Poor sleep is serious and affects everything

Two in three Australians report at least one sleep problem. Nearly half report more than one. These are major drivers of chronic disease, mental illness, injury and organisational risk.
Poor mental health
Fatigue + burnout
Chronic disease + pain
Reduced quality of life
Yet sleep remains under-recognised, under-treated, and disconnected across care, work and everyday life.

Chronic disease, hospitalisation and early death

Poor sleep contributes to thousands of deaths each year and tens of thousands of hospitalisations, including around 40,000 hospital admissions annually for sleep apnea alone. Insomnia and other sleep disorders significantly increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes among other chronic conditions. 

Poorer mental health, cognition and performance

Insufficient sleep is strongly linked to depression, anxiety and psychological distress, alongside poorer concentration, memory and decision-making. Productivity losses linked to insufficient sleep are estimated at ~$2,418 per person each year.

Greater fatigue, injuries and occupational errors

Fatigue from poor sleep is four times more likely to impair performance than drugs or alcohol, and increases the risk of workplace injury, absenteeism, safety violations and errors by up to 50%. In Australia, it’s estimated that more than one person dies every day from falling asleep at the wheel or sleep-related workplace accidents.
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Chronic disease, hospitalisation and early death

Poor sleep contributes to thousands of deaths each year and tens of thousands of hospitalisations, including around 40,000 hospital admissions annually for sleep apnea alone. Insomnia and other sleep disorders significantly increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes among other chronic conditions. 

Poorer mental health, cognition and performance

Insufficient sleep is strongly linked to depression, anxiety and psychological distress, alongside poorer concentration, memory and decision-making.

Greater fatigue, injuries and occupational errors

Fatigue from poor sleep is four times more likely to impair performance than drugs or alcohol, and increases the risk of workplace injury, absenteeism, safety violations and errors by up to 50%. In Australia, it’s estimated that more than one person dies every day from falling asleep at the wheel or sleep-related workplace accidents.

Fatigue & poor sleep cost organisations

Poor sleep and fatigue drive injury risk, absenteeism, turnover, claims and lost productivity. That's both a retention issue and a WHS hazard you're expected to control.

26%

Of workplace injuries directly due to poor sleep

$392,000

Estimated psychological injury premium cost

$10B

Estimated annual cost of sleep disorders to employers
Sources: Safe Work Australia (2025). icare/NSW Treasurer (2025). WorkSafe Victoria (2024). CEDA (2021). Deloitte Access Economics (2021).
Firefighters
  • 80% of sleep apnea goes undiagnosed
  • 2.5× higher workplace injury risk for workers with insomnia
  • 3x greater cost of lost productivity vs absenteeism due to poor sleep

Supporting evidence

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). (2021). Sleep problems as a risk factor for chronic conditions. Canberra: AIHW. Link
2. Deloitte Access Economics. (2021). Rise and try to shine: The social and economic cost of sleep disorders in Australia. Sleep Health Foundation. Link
3. Foo, J. K., & Doan, T. (2023). The impact of sleep quality on mental health in working Australians: A quasi-experimental approach. Social Science & Medicine, 329, 116039. Link
4. McNamara, S., et al. (2023). Sleep: A Core Pillar of Health and Wellbeing. Improving Population Sleep Health to Reduce Preventable Illness and Injury – A Policy Evidence Brief. Australian Health Policy Collaboration: Melbourne, Victoria University. Link
5. National Road Safety Partnership Program. Fatigue. Road Safety Action Plan 2018–2020. Link
6. Ungvari, Z., et al. (2025). Imbalanced sleep increases mortality risk by 14-34%: a meta-analysis. GeroScience, 47(3), 4545–4566. Link 
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