Almost half of Britons opt for the duvet over the dancefloor, as the exhaustion of the week takes it toll
Britons getting by on just six hours and 28 minutes sleep per night through the week
Torquay, Nottingham and Plymouth the worst sleepers
The Sleep Date is a new trend hitting Britain, according to a new sleep report out today, which reveals that almost a half of exhausted Britons are regularly cancelling a night out with friends so that they can catch up on lost sleep.
The Travelodge study of 2,500 Britons revealed that Britons are managing an average of six hours and 28 minutes sleep during the week – which is well below the recommended sleep quota of eight hours per night.
As a result, nearly half of people say they regularly cancel their plans with friends so that they can catch up on much needed sleep, and a third say that the thought of an early night actually helps them get through the working week.
The report reveals the real impact of the working week on Britons, with four out of ten adults reporting that they feel more tired now than they have ever done before because of work, and over a quarter stating that they sleep less now than they did a year ago because of work worries.
Interestingly the report revealed that the younger generation are most likely to choose a sleep date over a night out, as half of 18 to 24 year olds regularly cancel a night of partying with friends to enjoy a sleep date. The likelihood to plump for a sleep date over a night with friends decreases with age as half of 25 to 34 years olds, nearly half of 35 to 40 year olds and over a third of 45 to 55 years olds choose bed over the bar.
The report also reveals that Britons are not afraid to confess the real reason for bailing from a night out, with over half saying they will admit they are turning in for the night rather than heading out.
The table below shows the locations getting the last sleep through the week.
Location Average sleep per night through week
1Torquay Six hours and two minutes
2 Nottingham Six hours and six minutes
3 Plymouth Six hours and 12 minutes
Birmingham Six hours and 12 minutes
5Wolverhampton Six hours and 14 minutes
6 Bournemouth Six hours and 15 minutes
7 Liverpool Six hours and 19 minutes
8 Exeter Six hours and 23 minutes
9 Chelmsford Six hours and 23 minutes
10 Sheffield Six hours and 24 minutes
Chris Idzikowski, Director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, said I am delighted that more people are taking sleep seriously. These results bode well for the population represented in the research, much better then those who are becoming the sleep hackers.
Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge Spokeswoman said Sleep deprivation is a growing problem in the UK, as year on year Britons are getting less sleep. Therefore it is no surprise that more adults are forgoing a night out with friends for a Sleep Date, so that they can catch up on lost sleep.
Discussing sleep has become just as popular as talking about the weather for Britons. Our hotel receptionists report that one of the most popular subjects of conversation when customers are checking in is that they are really looking forward to having a good nights sleep.
The study also examined why Britons are not getting their recommended sleep quota of eight hours sleep per night. It revealed that work stress tops the list, followed by money worries as people continue to try and make ends meet with tight household budgets.
The third biggest factor keeping adults awake at night is worrying about family issues, followed by concerns over job security and unfinished household chores.
Listed below are the top five reasons that are giving Britons sleepless nights
1. Work stress
2. Money worries
3. Family issues
4. Job security worries
5. Unfinished household chores
Ends
For further information:
Contact the Travelodge Press Office on 01844 358703
Notes to editors
Research conducted with a sample group of 2,500 British adults in March 2014