Jamie Oliver has revealed he’s been wrestling with a “really dangerous” health concern. The celebrity chef shot to fame in the 2000s after launching The Naked Chef on BBC Two.
However, his career soared to unprecedented heights two decades ago with Jamie’s School Dinners, a programme that exposed the shocking state of meals served in Britain’s educational institutions.
Since then, he has presented numerous culinary programmes on television and become the nation’s second most successful author, trailing only behind J K Rowling.
Now at 50, Jamie has chosen to pen a wellness cookbook, reports the Mirror. This decision comes after he began experiencing the “cliche aches and pains” associated with getting older.
Consequently, he has started viewing his body “as an engine” rather than something that “works unconditionally” for you. The chef confesses he has also cultivated a troublesome relationship with sleep.
Speaking to The Times, he said: “I have had the worst relationship with sleep. I am at the end of a decade of only three or four hours of sleep a night and it’s really dangerous.
“I will fix it this year, but three times a week I wake up at 4.30am and don’t finish until 9pm. It’s too much.”
Alongside his sleep troubles, Jamie reveals he has endured a slipped disc in his back. He characterises the issue, together with his aches and pains, as “old-people stuff”.
And whilst he’s renowned for challenging the nation’s poor dietary choices, he also acknowledges that “being greedy” has remained his most unhealthy tendency throughout his lifetime. Jamie says he has always had a “varied diet” but admits that being greedy has been his “biggest problem”.
What does the NHS say about sleep?
The NHS states that sleep difficulties can be a widespread concern. Numerous factors can contribute to sleep troubles, ranging from employment pressures, medical conditions, or even caring for a newborn infant.
Whilst several nights of poor rest are deemed acceptable, the NHS warns it can become problematic if sleep disturbances begin affecting your daily routine. The health authority explains that prolonged sleep issues can adversely impact both your physical and mental health.
A healthy adult requires between seven and nine hours of rest, according to the NHS. However, age and individual circumstances mean the precise amount of sleep each person needs may vary.
The NHS explains: “Some people are naturally lighter sleepers or take longer to get to sleep while others might sleep badly because of anxiety, worry over stressful events or other life challenges.
“There are lots of things that can influence how well we sleep, such as our current physical or mental health, our upbringing, things that happen to us, and even our temperament. However, bad sleep habits or poor sleep hygiene, such as not relaxing or winding down before bed, often cause sleep problems.”