These are the countries that get the most sleep

What with one of the world's biggest financial hubs, farmers and fishermen who get up at the crack of dawn and the country's passion for a big night out, it may come as something as a surprise to learn that Britons may get more sleep than most.

A study published in the journal Science Advances last week suggests that while sunrise has a definite influence on when we wake, sunset may not hold as much sway.

To track sleeping patterns, researchers used the Entrain smartphone app which was created to help travellers recover from jet lag by giving recommendations of light exposure in order to help them sleep.

Statista has compiled the data in the following graph:

People from the Netherlands and New Zealand top the charts with an average of five and four minutes more than eight hours of sleep per night, respectively.

While Britons tends to sleep just over six minutes less than eight hours, we are still fairly high on the chart.

It is people from Singapore and Japan who are at the bottom, sleeping an average of 36 and 29 minutes less.

While these numbers may not seem like much, the study claims that even half an hour of less sleep can be detrimental to your health, as it can have a cumulative effect over time.

So why is there a discrepancy?

Given the weak link between sleeping and sunset, it appears cultural and social factors are to blame for later sleepers.

So if you're contemplating a fourth night out in a row, don't.

You need the rest.

More: Why you definitely should try to get more sleep

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