March 14th, 2024, Bhavika Bansal
Sleeping habits are a crucial indicator and defining factor of an individual’s overall health. Ahead of World Sleep Day, YouGov polled adults in Great Britain on whether they are getting the ideal amount of sleep they’d like and the steps they’re taking to improve their sleep quality.
Data from the survey reveals that three-fifths of Britons would ideally like to get eight hours or more of sleep a night (77%). A significantly smaller share say they would like to get seven hours (17%) and few want 6 hours or less (4%).
But how much sleep are Britons really getting?
Only about a quarter of Britons say they get more than eight hours of sleep at night (25%). Instead, they’re more likely to say they usually catch seven hours of shut eye a night (32%) and a quarter say they typically sleep for six hours or less (41%).
Evidently, there is a clear gap between the amount of sleep Britons hope to get and actually get. Many are taking actions to improve their sleep, however.
Upgrading their bedding for more comfort (40%), going to bed at the same time every night (40%), and installing blackout curtains to darken the room (34%) are the most popular activities undertaken by Britons to improve their sleep quality.
While nearly a third of Britons say they avoid looking at digital screens before going to bed (30%), a similar survey conducted in the US reveals that only 18% of Americans are likely to do the same.
A closer look at the data by gender demographics shows us that women in Great Britain are, in general, significantly likelier than men to undertake specific actions to improve their quality of sleep. This is especially true in the case of using aromatherapy tools (28% vs. 8%) and consuming sleep supplements or medications (24% vs. 14%).
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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on surveys of 2,023 adults aged 18+ years in Great Britain. All surveys were conducted online in December 2023. Data from the market uses a nationally representative sample. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.