British teenagers are among the worst in Europe for sleep problems, new report suggests 

British teenagers suffer some of the worst sleep problems in Europe with many hooked on social media, a major report warns.

The number failing to get a proper night’s rest has risen significantly, a World Health Organisation study into child mental health found.

Young people from England, Scotland and Wales came in the top third for sleep difficulties.

They were also among the worst to suffer from school pressure and problems with social media.

Four in ten girls in England, aged 13 to 15, admitted they had trouble sleeping at least once a week.

Boys were not far behind, with three in ten of the same age reporting problems, up from 20 per cent just four years ago.

More than a quarter of 11-year-olds also said they had issues getting a full night’s rest, data shows.

Scotland had the highest levels of 15-year-old girls with problems – at 41 per cent compared to 28 per cent of boys. Wales was 37 per cent and 26 per cent respectively.

Many teens spend most of the day chatting to friends on social media, and glued to their phones and tablets, researchers found.

And enjoying a family meal is becoming a thing of the past, with fewer than four in ten sitting down to eat with parents once a day.

Study leader Dr Jo Inchley, of the University of Glasgow, said: ‘It is worrying to see adolescents are telling us that all is not well with their mental well-being, and we must take this message seriously.

‘Sleep difficulties are on the rise, and we’re also seeing an increase in social and emotional difficulties such as feeling low and nervous. Compared with other countries, young people in the UK are also more likely to think they’re too fat.’

The study, called the International Health Behaviour in School-aged Children and led by the University of Glasgow and University of St Andrews, examined data from 227,441 young people in 44 European countries plus Canada.

Children in France and Greenland appeared to have the worst sleep problems.

Youngsters in England, Scotland and Wales were generally satisfied with their lives.

They were less likely to drink alcohol, smoke or eat sugary snacks than in previous surveys.

But since 2014, data suggests there had been a significant decline in eating breakfast in almost half of the countries involved.

Children aged 15 in England suffered among the worst pressure at school, with 74 per cent of girls reporting high stress from schoolwork and 62 per cent of boys.

Fiona Brooks, a public health expert at the University of Technology in Sydney, said: ‘Young people in the UK spend much more time on social media than comparable peers across Europe.

‘Excessive use is problematic and warrants attention.’