Research just published reveals our need to stay 'constantly connected' is causing Brits to lose the art of falling asleep. Glowing blue phone lights, watching TV in bed and stressing over work are all to blame, with around half of us (49%) admitting we've had trouble falling asleep since becoming an adult.
The study by
Warren Evans found that we're glued to screens before bedtime and the last thing we do in the bedroom is sleep, with more than a third (36%) of us admitting we turn on a screen in bed when we're trying to nod off. 50% of adults and a worrying 82% of 18-24 year olds take their mobile phone into bed with them. With 63% of this 'tech generation' in bed playing games, doing social media, sending work emails, and watching TV - these are all distractions and cause problems when it comes to falling asleep.
Almost half (40%) of adults take more than 20 minutes to fall asleep and 1 in 10 Brits aged between 18 and 24 are struggling for around an hour. The research shows that stress appears the be the main factor affecting a decent night's sleep in the UK - half of us say that it keeps us awake initially, with a third woken up during the night by their worries.
Four out of ten Brits (38%) are waking up tired at least six days a week, with 15% saying they feel groggy every single morning.
Sleep experts say we need to put our technology to bed an hour ahead of bedtime and return to the times when our lifestyle was more closely aligned to the natural cycle of light and dark. Having your phone as your bed buddy is not a good idea. Here are some guidelines to help you go back to basics.
The Art of Falling Asleep, Top 5 Tips
1. Getting to sleep is made easier when you follow a routine. Avoid working at night for at least an hour before bedtime as it keeps your brain active. Instead try a warm bath, read a book, or do some meditation.
2. Our circadian rhythms are based on going to sleep in the dark and waking in the light. Keep lights and technology (which emit blue light that wakes you up) dimmed in the evening. Let sunlight into your bedroom in the morning – this signals to your body that it's time to wake up and strengthens your circadian rhythm, making it easier to get to sleep at night. Eating a good breakfast is part of a good sleep routine as it gets your metabolism started for the day.
3. Make your bedroom like a cave: cool, dark and quiet and get your bed right. Eliminate light with black out blinds and use white noise if needed to block out street noise or your partners snoring. Use natural light alarm clocks to wake you gently and make sure you have a comfy mattress and pillow to keep your spine in alignment.
4. Get your bedtime right, and sleep in cycles. We naturally have a sleep window between 8pm and 12pm with an optimum time of 10-11pm. We also have a set biological sleep cycle of 90 minutes, which we go through every night. You wake up more refreshed if you are at the end of a cycle. So, if you want to get up at 6.30am, count back 5 cycles or 7.5 hours and this gives you a suggested bedtime of 11pm, going to bed in the dark and waking in the light.
5. Keep technology out of your bedroom. It emits blue light, which wakes you up and has been proven to stimulate your brain, making it even harder to fall asleep easily. Keep your bedroom for sleep and sex only.
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