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Cambridge Weight Plan

One Poll

21 April 2010

PILLOW TALK
The average British adult now doesn't crawl into bed until 11.41pm on week nights - more than 54 minutes later than they did three years ago, according to new research.
Hectic work schedules, busy lifestyles and money worries are the main reason for the increasingly-late bed time.
Before the UK was hit by the worst recession in modern times, the typical Brit hit the sack at 10.47pm.
Now nearly half of exhausted adults don't climb into bed until midnight and one in ten are still awake at 1am, according to the study.
Yesterday (Tues) Professor Leeds, Medical Director of Cambridge Weight Plan, which carried out the research of 3,040 adults, said: ''The fact Brits' heads are hitting the pillow nearly a whole hour later than three years ago is worrying.
''Your body needs rest so the lack of sleep could be affecting people's performance at work, their personality and outlook on life.
''Everyone is so manic these days that once we have fallen through the front door after work, had dinner, sorted out the kids, and finished watching TV it's so late.
''Some of us are even too tired to get off the sofa and climb into bed or nod off regularly early on in the evening.
''We seem to have so few hours to fit everything into that we're eating into our precious sleep time to complete our daily 'to do' list.
''But that means many are not getting their recommended seven and a half hours of sleep a night, and while they may seem ok now, it might catch up on them when they least expect it.''
The study also found almost half are getting into bed later than ever before, with three in ten saying they struggle to fit everything in after a long day at work.
It emerged more than half (55 per cent) end up falling asleep on the sofa at least twice-a-week because they are so shattered at the end of the day.
However, the poll also revealed even when they do finally get to bed, a staggering 76 per cent of Brits find it hard to get to sleep.
Three in ten said the main reason they have trouble nodding off was because they were worried about financial or relationship problems.
One in six toss and turn because of noises outside, or a bad dream and 21 per cent struggle to get some shut eye because their partner snores.
Six in ten say their lack of sleep has an effect on the quality of their work, with four in ten saying they find it hard to concentrate on their job.
A third are left without any energy, one in five feel anxious or struggle to make decisions and one in six have even dropped off at their desk.
Researchers also discovered the average Brit gets just over five-and-a-half hours of completely uninterrupted sleep every night - two an hour-and-a-half less than the recommended amount.
A quarter have nodded off on public transport, one in five have caught some shut-eye in the cinema and one in twenty have found meetings to much of a bore to stay awake.
They also wake up at least twice-a-night and only enjoy three nights of interrupted sleep every week.
TOP 10 THINGS WHICH KEEP US AWAKE
1. Work stress
2. Money worries
3. Partner snoring
4. Outside noise i.e neighbours, traffic
5. Need a drink
6. Nightmares / A bad dream
7. A niggly noise (e.g. dripping tap, air in the central heating system)
8. Eating too late in the evening
9. Having too much caffeine
10. Relationship worries
Research conducted by global market research company www.onepoll.com