Study uncovers nation’s poor sleeping habits

We all know that sleep is important, but are you giving it the priority it deserves? Research suggests many aren’t and the majority of Brits don’t get enough sleep.

Quality sleep is essential for your wellbeing. Not getting enough shut-eye could harm your mental health and affect your ability to carry out daily tasks.

To explore the sleep patterns, challenges, and experiences of Brits, we at Mattress Online surveyed more than 3,000 people. And the results suggest shockingly few adults are getting enough sleep to feel well-rested.

Fewer than a fifth of adults are getting enough sleep

The survey found that a high proportion of both men and women are experiencing insufficient sleep, which could have a knock-on effect on a huge range of areas, from their mood to work performance.

Adults should aim for between seven and eight hours of sleep each day. Yet, less than a fifth survey said they were sleeping for this amount on average. In fact, just 20% of men and 14% of women said they slept for this long, and the vast majority were getting less sleep each night.

Worryingly, 10% of women and 7% of men said they sleep for less than four hours.

Research published in the National Library of Medicine suggests over the long term, not getting enough sleep is associated with a wide range of harmful health effects, such as increased risk of diabetes, heart attack, and depression.

So, while reducing sleep in the short term might have little impact, it could be dangerous for your health if it becomes a long-term habit.

A third of people report they have a broken sleep pattern

Around a third of both men and women said they consistently wake up in the middle of the night. In some cases, people reported waking up multiple times throughout the night.

Even if you’re able to fall back to sleep, a broken sleep pattern can disrupt you and mean you don’t wake up feeling well-rested.

There are multiple reasons why you might be waking up during the night. So, if you’re affected by broken sleep, it might be useful to assess why it’s happening to you. It could be that your environment doesn’t promote sleep, such as light from electronics affecting your brain, drinking caffeine too close to bedtime, or that your routine makes it hard to keep your internal clock set.

Health reasons can also affect your sleep, so it may be important to speak to a health professional if your sleep has been affected for long periods.

Around a quarter of adults find it easy to fall asleep

Staying asleep and getting enough aren’t the only challenges, most people also said they struggled to fall asleep.

In fact, only around a quarter of adults said they always found it easy to drift off. In contrast, more than a third said they never did and instead found it difficult to get to sleep and maintain a consistent sleep pattern.

With the findings in mind, it’s not surprising that only 2% of women and 1% of men said they regularly feel well-rested.

The expert tips that could help you get more sleep

So, if you face these sleep challenges, what can you do? Our partner sleep experts have some essential tips that could help you get more sleep.

The Sleep Geek, James Wilson, advises identifying your sleep type by observing natural sleep patterns without alarms and considering family genetics. You can then target a 90-minute window optimal for sleep that could help you fall asleep quicker, stay asleep, and feel ready to take on the day in the morning.

James added: “To promote better sleep, stay relaxed and cool before bedtime – try a warm bath or shower and prepare in advance. Avoid engaging in waking activities when sleepy. Opt for light and humorous content before sleep and minimise phone content”

Chloe Angus, Corporate Wellbeing Manager at Cavendish Cancer Care, also notes that waking up during the night is often due to worries or pain. She suggests that if you wake up in the night, being kind to yourself, avoiding checking the time, and relaxing, could help ease worries and make it easier to drift off.

Chloe also highlighted the importance of creating an environment that will enhance your sleep, so focusing on your comfort and ensuring your bedroom is dark and quiet could help.

Next time you’re struggling to sleep, why not try Chloe’s A-Z topic game to help you relax?Pick a topic (animals, countries, names), then find an animal, for example, that begins with the letter A, and work your way through the alphabet. You may find yourself nodding off before you reach Z!

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References

1. Extent and Health Consequences of Chronic Sleep Loss and Sleep Disorders