NEWS COPY
The average Brit is getting just six hours and 14 minutes of sleep a night – almost two hours less than the recommended quota, a study found.
As well as falling short on sleep, the average adult will also wake up twice a night and spend two nights of the week tossing and turning.
Stress is the biggest culprit for the nation’s lack of sleep, followed by being too hot, uncomfortable or wide awake due to late night screen time surfing social media channels.
Money worries, a partner fidgeting or snoring, and being nervous or excited about a meeting or event in the morning also leaves many of us struggling to get some shut-eye.
Lack of sleep also sees Britain as a nation fork out £8 billion on sleep aids and things to make them look and feel less tired.
The research, commissioned by Travelodge also revealed the average adult likes to get their head down on two firm pillows, beneath a 10.5 tog duvet and sleep in either pyjamas or completely naked.
And after getting into bed, Brits are most likely to watch TV, read a book, do some online shopping, check Facebook and respond to work emails.
Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge spokeswoman said: “Our sleeping habits have radically changed over the last decade.
“Nowadays, due to the convenience of smart phones, bedtime is now a time to work, shop, socialise and basically cram more activities into our lives; which can affect the length and quality of our sleep.”
Researchers found 41 per cent of adults say they don’t have great sleep, with just one in ten saying they sleep well.
After nodding off at 11.11pm on a weeknight and 11.34pm on a weekend, Brits will get a total of just six hours and 14 minutes’ sleep before waking up again.
During the night, the average adult also wakes up twice, lying awake for 18 minutes a time – 36 minutes a night – trying to get back to sleep.
Brits also spend an average of two nights a week struggling to get to sleep and will toss and turn each night for an hour and 32 minutes before they finally drop off.
However, four out of ten adults (39%) impact their quality of sleep by playing with their mobile phone or tablet in bed.
Over a third of adults cannot go to the land of nod without checking Facebook and other social media channels.
Whilst a quarter of adults admit to drinking tea or coffee within an hour of going to bed and 22 per cent regularly fall asleep with their TV on.
As a result of their poor sleeping habits, a third of adults drink more coffee than usual to hide their tiredness while 12 per cent rely on sweet treats.
One in ten tired Brits turn to energy drinks to help them get through the day whilst one in twenty take a supplement to keep them going.
Worryingly, 27 per cent of respondents reported that their tiredness leads to rows with their partner, almost one in four make mistakes at work and one in ten have even fallen asleep in the office.
The report also found the nation’s most sleep derived Britons can be found in Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, Belfast and Liverpool.
Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge spokeswoman, added: “We recognise that our sleeping habits have changed and based on customer feedback, we have launched a new room concept called the SuperRoom.
“This room has been designed around our modern sleeping habits and encompasses all the key elements to help attain a good night sleep.
“This includes a more residential décor with a colour scheme to help you relax and aid sleep. A comfy king-size bed, mood lighting and black out curtains.
“It also includes lots of power & USB points within the room for all of our devices, a Lavazza fresh pod coffee machine and a Hansgrohe Rain dance shower to help your feel refreshed in the morning.”
Top ten most sleep-deprived cities:
- Birmingham
- Cardiff
- Bristol
- Belfast
- Liverpool
- Reading
- Norfolk
- Nottingham
- Glasgow
- Leeds
ENDS
