The average Brit only gets five hours of quality sleep a night

A study of 2,000 adults found that Brits spend a total of just 12 minutes on their sleep routine a night – with preparation consisting of brushing their teeth, getting into their pyjamas, and washing their face.
But while just over a third sit reading a book as part of their evening ritual, and one in 10 are winding down with some stretches or breathing exercises, 27 per cent have no night-time routine at all.
Despite the average person only getting five hours of quality shut-eye a night, some adults do go the extra mile to get a good night’s sleep – including counting sheep, clicking their body joints, doing 100 press-ups and checking the bed for spiders.
The research was commissioned by Dreams, the Official Sleep Partner to Team GB and ParalympicsGB.
More than a quarter follow the exact same routine every evening, in comparison to 38 per cent of parents who said their children, age newborn to six, do the same.
And more than a fifth agree their youngsters never have problems when it comes to drifting off to dreamland.
It also emerged that 63 per cent agree bedtime rituals can have a positive impact on their sleep.
In fact, eight in 10 said a good night’s sleep can improve their productivity the following day, estimating to feel 50 per cent more focused the morning after a quality kip.
As many as three in four adults say poor sleeping habits can negatively affect both their mental and physical health.
With people reporting that poor sleep can affect their ability to concentrate, can make them more forgetful and even impact their appetite – resulting in cravings for sugary snacks.
Yet, nearly a quarter of adults reckon it’s been over a week since they last woke up feeling well-rested. And more than half (55 per cent) admit they don’t get enough good quality sleep.

The research also revealed that in the lead up to their bedtime routine, adults have 23 minutes of screen time before hitting the hay, according to the OnePoll data.

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