BRITONS ARE TOO BUSY FOR A WEEKEND LIE-IN INSTEAD THEY ARE TAKING A DAILY FIX OF 11 MINUTES OF ALARM CLOCK SNOOZING – WHICH COULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR HEALTH
Britons’ sleep is under severe attack as two thirds of adults are only getting on average just six hours and 27 minutes of shut eye each night
Britons’ sleep is under severe attack as a new report out today by Travelodge has revealed that over a quarter of Britons (27%) are getting less sleep now than they did a year ago.
Worryingly 65% of adults are getting on average just six hours and 27 minutes sleep per night (which is one hour and 33 minutes below the recommended daily quota of eight hours).
It has also become evident that Britain is fast becoming a nation that likes to just work, play and not rest. In addition to not getting enough sleep during the week, nearly half of adults (48%) claim they don’t have time in their busy schedule for a weekend lie-in any more (so that they can catch up on lost sleep). Instead we are becoming a nation of Snoozesters - this is a new sleep trend which could actually be detrimental to our health because it makes you feel more groggy than refreshed.
Four out of ten adults have reported that they set their wake up call earlier than required, so that they can hit the snooze button and make their body think it is having extra kipping time. On average snooze button sleepers are hitting their mobile phone snooze button twice every morning and gaining an additional 11 minutes of perceived extra shut eye.
One of the key reasons to why we are becoming a nation of Snoozesters, is due to the fact that seven out of ten (68%) Britons now use their mobile phone to wake them up every morning.
These findings have been revealed in Travelodge’s annual sleep study which surveyed 2,000 British adults to investigate the nation’s sleeping behaviour.
Stevie Williams, Edinburgh Sleep Centre, says: “Setting your alarm clock much earlier than you intend to get up and continually pressing snooze actually makes you feel more groggy than refreshed after a night’s sleep. Snoozing in this way can lead you to miss out on the vital REM sleep that occurs just before you wake up.
“Therefore, it is more beneficial to your health to use the weekend to catch up on any sleep debt you have accumulated during the week.”
Other key findings revealed that Coventrians, Brightonians and Belfastians are the worst sleep deprived individuals across the country - as each of them are clocking even less sleep than the national average sleep figure of six hours and 27 minutes.
Other key findings revealed that Coventrians, Brightonians and Belfastians are the worst sleep deprived individuals across the country - as each of them are clocking even less sleep than the national average sleep figure of six hours and 27 minutes.
The sleep study also delved into the key reasons to why Britons are not getting their recommended sleep quota of eight hours sleep per night. Research revealed despite experts stating the UK is coming out of recession a third of adults are kept awake at night due to money worries. Trying to make ends meet with a tight household budget was the biggest concern especially in light of rising food and fuel bills.
The second biggest factor for keeping adults awake at night is stressing about family issues – which are actually fueled by a partner working long hours, financial strains and family politics.
Listed below are the top five reasons that are giving Britons sleepless nights:
Money worries (32%)
Family issues (25%)
Work stress (18%)
Job security worries (17%)
Unfinished household chores (16%)
Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge Spokeswoman said: “Although we are coming out of the recession, Britons are still worried about money and work issues, which is fuelling this sleep disorder. Not only is over a quarter of the nation getting less sleep now, than they did a year ago but nearly half of the adult population is too busy for a weekend lie-in so that they can catch up on lost sleep.
“This is a vicious circle and extremely detrimental to a person’s heath and wellbeing. Britons have to stop treating sleep as a luxury and make it more of a necessity within their lifestyle and strive for eight hours of sleep on a regular basis.”
Further research findings revealed that in an attempt to obtain extra slumber Britons are forgoing a number of essential morning rituals so that they can have more time under the duvet.
A fifth of adults skip the most important meal of the day, breakfast, whilst a quarter of Britons leave the house without washing and styling their hair so that they can grab some additional shut eye. Also 18% of British beds are left unmade every morning due to their owners being too tired to make them.
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