Research conducted by the University of Warwick and the University of Naples Federico II found poor sleepers who get less than six hours of sleep a night were 12 percent more likely to die prematurely.

The research found seven hours of sleep was ideal and those who did get that amount of shuteye would live a longer and healthier life.

Achieving this amount of sleep is a challenge for around 20 percent of Australians who have a disturbed sleep, the late Harry Teichtahl from the Australasian Sleep Association said in a 2007 Pfizer Australia media release.

Teichtahl said 20 percent of Australians reported being disturbed between three and five times every night, while close to two-thirds reported difficulty going to sleep.

The health report also found that two-in-five Australians say they do not wake up feeling refreshed.

"Insomnia is often caused by worrying," Teichtahl said.

"This, combined with the long hours and stresses of our 24-hour society, is a recipe for leaving the majority of the population living in a constant state of fatigue. Not a healthy, or safe, way to live," he said.

"Sleep is important because it is a period of rest and recuperation for the body and brain. Using medications to aid insomnia only masks the problem and those people who are in the habit of having an afternoon nap and trying to sleep in on the weekend are only reinforcing the cycle of poor sleeping patterns."

But the new research findings shouldn't be taken as an open invitation to sleep in too much, too often. The research found that sleeping more than nine hours a night could indicate a serious underlying illness.

Your Say: Do you get enough sleep? What contributes to your lack of sleep?