Two in five Aussies don't get enough sleep

Forty per cent of Australians are not getting enough sleep each night, impacting mental health and productivity, experts have warned.

Forty per cent of Australians are not getting enough sleep each night, experts have warned. (AAP)

Two in five Australians are not getting enough sleep each night, researchers have found, as they warn against the associated financial and mental health costs.

Hanna Hensen, from Researchers for Neuroscience Research Australia, said nightly shut-eye influenced the function of key organs and was an important time to process information and strengthen neural connections.

"Inadequate or poor sleep can have a direct impact on mental health effecting depression, anxiety and emotional instability," Dr Hensen said on Saturday.

"A good night sleep can improve mental health, general wellbeing, and boost workplace productivity."

Adults are generally encouraged to sleep for between seven and nine hours each night.

The financial cost of inadequate sleep in Australia during the past financial year was estimated at $66.3 billion, with the personal cost even higher.

Associate professor Danny Eckert said insufficient sleep could lead to poor concentration, saying a person died each day in Australia from a sleep-related vehicle or industrial incident.