Brits are spending the equivalent of two years of their life tossing and turning as they struggle to sleep, a new study has revealed. Researchers found that stress, bad dreams and partner’s snoring means millions of Brits are struggling to nod off every night.
And almost nine in ten Brits have nights of disturbed sleep, with more than a third saying they rarely have a full night’s sleep.
The study, by New Febreze Sleep Serenity found that on average, an hour and 49 minutes of shut-eye is lost on three different nights a week due to restlessness.
That’s five hours and 26 minutes each week or just under 12 days each year.
It also emerged that Sunday is the night most likely to see Brits struggling to sleep as they worry about the week ahead.
UK sleep expert Dr Guy Meadows, said:
“For Brits, the continuous struggle with sleep peaks on a Sunday night.
“Largely it’s due to us going to bed late on a Saturday night, and sleeping in too long the next day.
“What people may not realize is that this resets your body clock, the part of your brain that tells you when to sleep, telling it to go to bed later the next night.
“You also need 16-17 hours of wakefulness in order to get to sleep, which doesn’t happen if you get up late.
“So, however hard it may feel, it’s important to wake-up and face the day as early as you can after a late Saturday night to help you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep, ready to start the week full of energy.”
The study, of 2,000 Brits found that needing to go to the toilet is the most common reason for our broken or difficult slumber, followed by stress or anxiety and being too hot.
Other reasons for waking or struggling to nod off in the first place include having bad dreams, our partner snoring, worrying about money and being cold.
It also emerged that almost three quarters have periods where they worry that they’ll never have a full night’s sleep again.
And around one in three even admitted they get angry or resent their partner for sleeping soundly next to them while they are lying awake.
But the lack of sleep is affecting mood and productivity, with almost two thirds also admitting people have commented on how bad they look after a bad night’s sleep.
More than eight in ten also admitted they struggle to concentrate at work after a night of tossing and turning, with 22% making mistakes at work.
One in five Brits have been pulled up on their tiredness-induced poor work by their boss, just over one in ten have snapped at a colleague and eight per cent have even fallen asleep in a meeting.
Some may even struggle to make it to the office, with one in ten nodding off on the commute.
Other negative effects from a lack of shut-eye include crying for no reason, oversleeping and falling over.
Dr Guy Meadows added:
“Loss of sleep is having clear negative affects to many people in Great Britain.
“Creating a relaxing bedroom environment is a great way to help people prepare for a night of undisturbed sleep.
“This can include removing distractions, ensuring a room is dark, quiet, comfortable and a cool temperature.
“Certain fragrances can have a powerful impact on our senses and a calming effect on the body, which is why scent can have a role in creating a relaxing bedtime environment.”
Anastasia Roumelioti, Home Care Communications for New Febreze Sleep Serenity said:
“The research highlights that lack of sleep is a problem for people across the UK.
“Creating the appropriate ambience in a bedroom is the first step to a relaxed mood to aid sleep.
“Febreze Sleep Serenity contains fragrances, such as lavender, that have been expertly selected to create a soothing environment to promote a good night’s sleep so we can sleep happy and start recovering the 12 days we lose each year struggling to sleep.”
TOP TEN REASONS FOR DISTURBED SLEEP
1. Needing to go to the toilet
2. Stress/anxiety
3. Being too hot
4. Bad dreams
5. Partner’s snoring
6. Money worries
7. Being too cold
8. Health problems
9. Partner tossing and turning
10. Work issues
Top ten mistakes or mishaps following a bad night’s sleep:
1. Snapped at my partner
2. Overslept
3. Made a mistake a work
4. Started crying
5. Left your phone at home
6. Snapped at my colleagues/boss
7. Spilt drinks
8. Fallen over or tripped up
9. Fallen asleep on public transport
10. Not completed your work on time
