2020 is set to be the ‘Year of Sleep’ as the third of a life we spend in bed takes a higher profile than ever before.
With more and more wellbeing and mental health organisations focusing on the importance of a good night’s rest, even upper-class bible Tatler has called sleeping ‘the new status’ symbol.
For too long we’ve seen sleep regarded as virtually an ‘optional extra’ when it comes to good health, but a growing tide of scientific evidence is proving that it is vital to both our physical and mental wellbeing.
Alongside sleeping, Tatler also announced that purchasing a Big Green Egg BBQ, owning a vineyard and not working were also status symbols. While we all may not be able to keep up with the Joneses, we can take stock of our sleep. And going to bed early is apparently one of the truest symbols of wealth!
However, sleeping doesn’t come easy for everyone. And it’s important to remember that not one size fits all when it comes to sleep. Some people need nine hours per night, some function perfectly ok on six hours per night. There’s also a lot of variations on sleep patterns depending on whether you’re an owl (goes to bed late and wants to wake up late) or a lark (those who go to bed earlier and get up earlier) – you can’t force yourself to go to bed early if you’re an owl.
According to the figures from the Great British Bedtime Report, it seems the more you earn, the more you sleep. 71% of those who earn a household income between £80,000 and £100,000 sleep on average more than six hours per night. 50% of those who earn under £10,000 sleep less than six.
Those who earn less than £10,000, nearly one third (29%) don’t go to sleep until after midnight and 40% say they sleep quite poorly, or very poorly.
The report also showed that the more money people earn, the more they feel energised in the morning; almost half (49%) of those who earn £40,001-£80,000 feel refreshed in the morning compared to just 35% who earn less than £10,000.
Lots of factors can be to blame for lack of sleep – stress, worry, kids, diet, health, uncomfortable bed etc.
Good sleep habits will last a lifetime so why not set the following goals for the new year:
- Make sleep a priority – Don’t scrimp on sleep to fit in extra activities or to save time – now’s the time to put sleep top of your agenda. Being properly rested means you’re clear-headed, more focused and more patient.
- Factor in sufficient wind down time – Experiment with new ways to relax like warm baths with calming scents, quiet soothing music, reading, gentle stretching and yoga.
- Asses your sleeping environment – Make sure the bedroom is cool, quiet, dark and gadget free. If you’re sleeping on old mattress (more than seven-year-old) then maybe it’s time to look at buying a new one. What you sleep on affects how you sleep – research has shown that a new mattress can increase the amount of sleep you get by 42 minutes.
- Do something about poor quality sleep – If you feel that you’re not sleeping well, or still feeling tired despite getting at least seven hours sleep per night, consider keeping a sleep diary to see what you’ve been doing, what you’ve eaten and when you’ve slept. If problems persist, talk to a health professional.
- Eat well, move more and sleep better – Don’t look at any of these aspects in isolation. If you want to improve health and wellbeing make sure you eat well, move more and sleep better!
Whether you’re rich or poor, working or not working, we can all make a sleep priority for 2020.