New research* has revealed Brits are shunning making love at bedtime in favour of cuddling up with a good book. Almost half of all British adults (44%) said reading is their favourite activity when hitting the pillow.
More than three times as many women would prefer to nod off with a novel (49%) than enjoy a bit of romance with a partner (14%). The gap is less pronounced with men, although reading is still the clear favourite - 29% of British men prefer it, compared to the 21% that prioritise making love.
The survey of 2000 UK adults carried out for Travelodge also identified the nation's favourite books at bedtime.
Dan Brown's bestselling blockbuster The Da Vinci Code topped the list. It beat strong competition from classic favourites including Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
BRITS' TOP TWENTY FAVOURITE BEDTIME BOOKS
1. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
2. The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
5. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
7. The Bible (Various)
8. Emma by Jane Austen
9. Harry Potter and the Philosophers' Stone by JK Rowling
10. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
11. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
12. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
13. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling
14. Dune by Frank Herbert
15. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
16. Perfume: The Story of a Murder by Patrick Suskind
17. His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman
18. Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres
19. The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
20. Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery
Travelodge's Director of Sleep, Wayne Munnelly said; "Reading is the perfect way to wind down at the end of the day. Anxiety levels will drop as it provides a gentle distraction, pushing any worries out of your mind which will ultimately help you relax and fall asleep".
The sleep research also highlighted the fact that more than one in five adults (23%) would rather watch TV than make love before they go to sleep.
Brit's favourite activities when hitting the sack:
1. Reading (44%)
2.Watching TV (23%)
3. Going to sleep (21%)
4. Making love (16%)
5. Listening to music (14%)
-Ends-
*Travelodge research conducted by 72 point in January 2007 among 2000 UK adults.
For more information, please contact:
Jo Begbie
Travelodge PR Manager
Tel: 01844 358 624
Mobile: 07841 725 053
As the first budget hotel brand to launch in the UK in 1985, Travelodge currently has over 300 hotels in the UK, Spain and Ireland in city centres, near attractions and airports.