- Over a third (36%) of city dwellers say they often or always struggle to sleep
- Benefits of ‘Green Sleep’ sees Brits longing for countryside relaxation and city dwellers booking getaways simply to enjoy better sleep
- Research comes as world-first luxury sheep-counting sleep experience from Emma Sleep goes live for ultimate rest amongst rolling Sussex hills
Research released today into the sleeping habits of Brits has revealed that city dwellers are facing a sleep crisis as their country cousins are getting 219 hours more sleep a year than sleep deprived urbanites.
The research – commissioned by sleep experts, Emma – revealed that 36% of city residents admitted they always or often struggle to sleep, and that more countryside residents are getting the recommended 7-9 hours sleep compared to their city counterparts (57% countryside residents agreeing they get 7-9 hours versus 41% of city residents).
With almost a quarter (23%) of city dwellers waking before 6am, and 41% often or always waking up tired, it’s not just the clock that’s keeping them up – city noise is a key culprit, with a huge 79% of city dwellers citing noise, including alarms, neighbours and vehicles, as a reason they have been kept awake.
In fact, people in cities are at their wits end, with 1 in 5 (20%) stating they have tried lots of hacks to sleep but with no success – over double the amount of their country neighbours, who are enjoying what Emma’s sleep experts are calling ‘Green Sleep’: the positive benefits to sleep when staying in the countryside.
The research comes as Emma’s anticipated Shleep Sanctuary goes live in Sussex: a science-backed innovative sleep experience allowing guests to literally count sheep, before drifting off under the stars overlooking some of the UK’s most beautiful countryside views. The ultimate Green Sleep experience.
The findings reveal Green Sleep is especially beneficial when on holiday: almost a quarter (24%) of city sleepers reported they sleep better on holiday than they do at home, and a huge 33% citing a better sleep than they get at home as a key reason for booking a holiday.
56% of those in the countryside say that the country air positively impacts their sleep, and almost 1 in 10 are snoozing past 9am each day. It’s no surprise, then, that over half of the UK (54%) include a quiet atmosphere in their dream sleep set up, and over 1 in 5 (21%) would like to wake up to a countryside view. And for sleep-deprived city folk, 52% say a countryside property would give them a good night’s sleep, alongside fresh air (36%), and a quiet atmosphere (38%).
Theresa Schnorbach, Emma Sleep Scientist, said:
“For many people who live in the hustle and bustle of a city, and all the night-time noise that entails, there may be a knock-on effect to their sleep. Our results do seem to show a trend that living in a quieter area can really have a tangible impact on the amount of sleep you get, and the quality of that sleep – so it’s no wonder that the trend of Green Sleep is booming, with people booking getaways to the countryside with sleep as a main benefit.”
With more city sleepers than countryside sleepers also reporting they’re likely to scroll their phones before bed (25% vs 19%), over a quarter (26%) of city dwellers say that there are fewer distractions on holiday when it comes to their sleep.
In efforts to try and get to sleep, 13% of Brits consider a cup of tea a core part of their bedtime routine, while 21% couldn’t drop off without a cuddle from their partner, and 12% need a snuggle from their pet.
Emma Sleep Scientist, Theresa Schnorbach added: “No matter where you’re going to sleep, having a routine in place can help. If you always have a cup of tea at the same time before going to bed, then carrying that custom on when you’re on holiday or anywhere else, lets your body know the sleep routine isn’t changing.”
After a night’s stay in the Shleep Sanctuary, competition winner, Georgina, 51, said, “We were delighted to win this unique experience with Emma at the Shleep Sanctuary. We both live busy lives and taking the time to leave the hustle of the city and rest in the countryside was needed! We had a revived night’s sleep and left the experience feeling ready to take on the week ahead. “
Shleep Sanctuary competition winner Jim, 51, said, “I’d never actually seen sheep jumping over a fence before- it was great to have this image right in front of me as I fell asleep and now, I know how to use visualisation for better sleep it’s something I’ll be doing more of in the future!”
Emma is looking to open the Shleep Sanctuary for bookings in 2024, so Brits can head to https://www.emma-sleep.co.uk/shleep/ to register interest and find out more about the science behind sheep-counting from Emma’s experts.
The Shleep Sanctuary dome will travel to France after June’s stint in the UK, setting up in the beautiful Cercier hills of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
ENDS
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