It will come as little surprise to middle-aged people battling the stress of work, elderly parents and teenage children.
But those aged 45 to 54 get the worst night’s sleep, managing just over six and a half hours on average.
Market researchers Mintel found baby boomers get a full 49 minutes less sleep at night than millennials in the 16 to 24 age bracket.
New research suggests that baby boomers average fewer hours sleep a night than any other age bracket
Experts say older people need just as much sleep as the young, with eight hours the recommended optimum.
However, middle-aged people are more likely to suffer an interrupted night’s sleep because of health problems, which force them to deal with tiredness the next day.
The poll of 2,000 British adults found almost four in 10 adults fail to achieve even seven hours a night, while five per cent, like former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, getting by on four hours or fewer.
Hera Crossan, personal care analyst at Mintel, said: ‘Britain’s sleep deprivation problem is now an epidemic – half of consumers are not getting the sleep we need.
Family stresses, ill-health and noise are thought to be some of the key factors contributing to a poor night’s sleep
‘The middle-aged group are particularly struggling with sleep and there are several factors playing into their sleep reduction, ranging from the hormonal disruption of menopause to the stress and lack of time caused by raising children and looking after elderly parents, as well as balancing employment.
‘This “sandwich generation” is struggling to find time to go to bed, and struggling to get enough hours of sleep once they get there.’
Noise is the number one source of sleep interruption, reported by 59 per cent of people, while 57 per cent said light caused them difficulty with sleeping.
Technology is another issue, with more than a third of people admitting using smart phones and tablets before going to bed caused trouble falling asleep.
The blue light from electronic devices is known to make people more alert and disrupt their sleep-wake cycle.
Pain is almost as disturbing as a partner’s sleeping habits, with 29 per cent of people reporting health problems which stopped them falling asleep. This is a particular concern for older people who tend to be in worse health.
A lack of sleep has been linked to dementia, as well as impaired memory, and a recent study suggested it is a myth that older people can cope with fewer hours of slumber.
Professor Matthew Walker, of the University of California, said sleep loss occurs because as we age, the brain cells and circuits which regulate sleep degrade, but older people still need sleep, even if they adapt better than younger people to performing tasks without it.
Research suggests that the blue light emitted by electronic devices could be disrupting people’s sleep-wake cycle, making a good night’s sleep more difficult
The latest research shows just a third of people fall asleep without much difficulty and manage to stay asleep, with women struggling more than men.
The findings show only 28 per cent of women do not suffer disrupted sleep or difficult falling asleep, compared to 38 per cent of men.
Miss Crossan said: ‘Everyday stresses and strains appear to be making it harder for UK adults to switch off when they finally fall into bed, putting them at risk of developing long-term physical and mental health issues.
‘To an extent, a lack of sleep has become almost acceptable; as more and more tasks fill the day, time in bed is increasingly viewed as a luxury that can be relinquished when necessary.’