Your Sleep In Numbers

A good night’s sleep means you feel great. And everyone needs to spend quality time in the the land of nod.

The Sleep Council has been crunching the numbers for the best tips for snoozing revealing some startling facts about sleeping.

Among the numbers it includes that there are 10,000 dust mites in the average living in the beds we sleep in!

A good night’s sleep, in numbers: 

2 – The amount of minutes shoppers spend trying out beds. It’s not long enough! There is no substitute for lying on mattresses as part of the selection process. You wouldn’t buy a new car without taking it for a test drive first!

7 – The number of years we recommend you keep your mattress before thinking of replacing it. After seven years a bed used regularly will have deteriorated significantly (50-70pc) from its ‘as new’ condition and will be hindering rather than helping you achieve the perfect sleep environment.

7am – The best time to exercise if you want a better night’s sleep. Appalachian State University boffins found that those who worked out at 7am had a 10% reduction in blood pressure at night, slept longer and had more beneficial sleep cycles than those who exercised at 1pm or 7pm.

10 – The percentage of British adults who still go to bed with a teddy bear. Aw.

18°C – The ideal bedroom temperature for slumber.

20 – The recommended time in minutes for a daytime nap that equates to as much energy as two cups of strong coffee, but with longer lasting effects. Thirty minutes, however, is long enough to put you in a deep sleep and leave you feeling groggy when you wake.

40pc – The reduction in your ability to remember new things if you pull an all-nighter. The consolidation of a memory occurs during sleep, without it your brain will struggle.
(Fit and Well magazine October 2015)

42 – The amount of extra sleep in minutes we get, according to research, when replacing an old, uncomfortable bed with a new bed. So what are you waiting for?

£583.05 – The average amount in pounds that couples spend on a new double bed. So over seven years, that’s less than 12p a night.

10,000 – The average number of house dust mites that are living in your bed. Regular mattress replacement is vital in reducing the prevalence of house dust mites which are linked to numerous allergic health problems.

10,000,000 – The number of prescriptions handed out each year for sleeping pills.

£1,600,000,000 – The cost to the UK economy in lost productivity as a result of workers being sleep deprived.

The Sleep Council has free guides packed with helpful tips and advice on establishing good sleeping habits to last a lifetime.

The Good-Night Guide for Children and The Good-Night Guide are available from The Sleep Council by calling 0800 018 7923 or visiting www.sleepcouncil.org.uk