England’s severe sleep deprivation crisis has been laid bare in an interactive map based on data from over 5000 adults.
A new report reveals that almost two thirds of people in England regularly fail to get the bare minimum of seven hours of sleep every night, as recommended by the NHS.
Merseyside is the most sleep-deprived, as almost three quarters of respondents average less than seven hours of sleep, while nearly half describe the quality of their sleep as “poor”.
At the other end of the spectrum, Cambridgeshire reported the lowest level of sleep deprivation, with 58% of respondents averaging less than seven hours sleep.
The Simba Map’tress Report was compiled using independent research agency, Censuswide, surveying 5,012 adults on their average sleep habits during March this year – ahead of the launch of the new Simba Sleep Coach & Tracker app – a free tool designed to help users sleep deeper & longer.
The NHS suggests Britons should be getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night, while children need nine to 13 hours a night.
Lisa Artis, deputy CEO at sleep tech firm Simba’s charity partner, The Sleep Charity said: “By deep diving into the interactive Simba Sleep Map’tress report, we can see that Merseyside could have the least sleep out of any across England, because of higher self-reported levels of less exercise and access to nature – two things we know are great for helping us to sleep better.
“Greater access to the outdoors and lower reported noise pollution are likely to play a part in why residents in Dorset and West Sussex enjoy higher than average sleep consumption.”
Artis added: “In Norfolk and the West Midlands, lower levels of exercise and higher than average levels of alcohol consumption may also be fuelling their sleep deficit - bolted to higher rates of noise pollution reported by the latter.”
“Although Bedfordshire rated highly for minimal noise pollution and access to green spaces, levels of alcohol consumption were higher here too.”
“Bedfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire also recorded higher than average mattress ages, in contrast to Wiltshire and Oxfordshire, with newer on average beds”, explains Artis “which could also account for the poor quality of slumber.”
“Paying attention to sleep hygiene is one of the best ways that you can set yourself up for better slumber; creating a bedroom environment that creates consistent and quality sleep.”
According to The Sleep Charity, a good night’s sleep is essential for good health - protecting mental, emotional and physical wellbeing as well as boosting quality of life.
To ensure good sleep it’s essential to follow good lifestyle habits and eliminate factors that cause disturbed sleep. For example; creating the perfect bedroom environment; having a comfortable bed and pillows; using soft, dim lighting in the evening; and turning off all tech at least an hour before bed.
Avoid foods and drinks that hinder sleep on the run-up to bedtime - spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol all have been shown to negatively impact sleep.
To see how your regions’ sleep habits fair, go to: https://simbasleep.com/pages/maptress-report-2023
