FOLLOW US

The importance of a good night's sleep is extremely well-documented. Sound rest at night contributes to individuals' abilities to think clearly, perform tasks at a higher level, regulate their emotions, and otherwise function well.

Of course, when someone's sleep routinely suffers, eventually the negative consequences begin to materialize. Ideally, a comfortable bed, safe room, and suitable living conditions are each necessary for a good night's rest on a regular basis.

This is what makes a new study covering "bed poverty" in the United Kingdom so alarming.

What to know about bed poverty across the pond

Barnardo, a British children's charity, revealed that over one million kids in the country either share beds with their families or sleep on the floor together.

Driving this level of bed poverty are tight finances amongst people who can't afford to purchase new bed sheets or replace worn-out beds.

Amid poorer households already struggling to pay basic living expenses, times are tough. The continuous rise in living costs likewise isn't doing low-income families in the United Kingdom any favors.

While about 70,000 British children have been estimated to share their beds with relatives, a staggering 440,000 are believed to sleep on floors. Naturally, this hurts kids and negatively impacts their emotional well-being and capacity to pay attention in school.

Some parents have thus opted to sleep on sofas and chairs to make things as comfortable as possible for their kids.

While certain social services and grants can help qualifying British families, many still struggle to make ends meet every month.

What's driving this?

The rise of inflation and standard living expenses are not mutually exclusive to the United Kingdom by any means. Even here in America, many families just cannot keep up with costs outpacing their wages.

To make matters even worse around the world, no signs indicate that inflation will decrease anytime soon. In fact, scarcity within various economic sectors only increases the likelihood of higher and higher prices.

In order for families to keep up, they will need to either increase their incomes or lower their expenses. Sometimes, the latter involves cutting corners where it's least desirable.