Britons take work gadgets to bed

Technology - News

Friday, 07 March 2008

Sex drives are being swapped for hard drives as a quarter of British couples admit to sleeping separately on a regular basis.

According to the results of a survey by The Sleep Council for National Bed Month this March, the British bed is in danger of becoming more of a communications hub than a place for sleep as eight out of 10 people boot up a variety of hi-tech gadgets before bedtime.

The survey, to discover how The Great British Bedtime is changing, found a glass of water and separate beds are replacing cocoa and cuddles at bedtime.

After cleaning their teeth with an electric toothbrush and setting the alarm on their Blackberry or mobile (22 per cent), the average adult slips, exhausted, into bed between 10 and 11pm.

Forty per cent rarely or sometimes go to bed at the same time as their partner while one in four couples admit to always or regularly sleeping separately.

The bed itself is now more likely to be a bedstead (40 per cent) than a divan (39 per cent) with mattresses featuring such luxuries or modern innovations as pocket springs (30 per cent) memory foam (11 per cent), no-turn (10 per cent) and anti-allergy options (6 per cent).

Before people lie down, charging up electrical appliances (22 per cent) has definitely taken over from prayers (10 per cent) as part of our bedtime routine.

“Busy night time routines are driving couples’ bedtimes and even their bedrooms apart. Nine per cent of those questioned admitted to always sleeping separately from their partner,” says Jessica Alexander of The Sleep Council.

This is hardly surprising when you discover what people do in bed. One in three of us makes phone calls and sends or receives text or emails in bed.

A further one in five keeps busy checking up on social networking sites such as Facebook, playing a computer game or listening to MP3 players.

Sanctuary of quiet and rest

Whether separately or together, bedtime for many (40 per cent) on workday nights is between 10 and 11pm although for one in eight shattered souls 9pm is nearer the mark.

25 – 34-year-olds are the most likely to fall into this category. 56 per cent of that age group describe themselves as usually very tired or shattered when they go to bed.

It may explain why that age group, more than any other (38 per cent as opposed to the average 32 per cent) is most likely to own a bed less than five years old.

“If people aren’t taking any notice of advice to keep the bedroom as a sanctuary of quiet and rest, then they at least understand that a decent, regularly replaced bed equals a decent night’s sleep,” said Alexander.

Advice on what not to drink at bedtime often goes unheeded too. While water – tap, bottled or sparkling – is the single most popular drink among a third of those questioned, many others admitted to taking coffee (9 per cent), alcohol (9 per cent) or sugary drinks to bed.

Traditional hot chocolate and milky drinks remain popular but another sign of the times is the emergence of smoothies and fresh juices as nightcaps.

“Our survey results provide a pretty accurate snapshot of our lives today. It also shows more than half of us (52 per cent) regularly feel so tired at work that we would like to go home, with one in eight people feeling that way three or four times a week,” Alexander added.

Send and receive messages

The survey found significant regional differences.

People in East Anglia are the most likely (32 per cent, average 26 per cent) to make phone calls or send and receive texts messages, whereas people in the South East most (27 per cent, average 22 per cent) use the alarm facility on their Blackberry or mobile.

People in Yorkshire use their Blackberry or laptop to send and receive emails more than those in other areas (14 per cent, average 8 per cent).

People in the North East and London (both 15 per cent, average 13 per cent) say that on three or four occasions each week they get so tired at work they would like to go home.