Travelodge Sleep Report Shows Bedtime Social Networking Causes

Travelodge Sleep Report Shows Bedtime Social Networking Causes Sleep Deprivation Epidemic Across Britain

LONDON, February 17, 2012-

  Millions of Britons are losing valuable sleep each night because they are addicted to
social networking according to findings from a new sleep report.

  Gone are the days when Britons liked nothing better then to be tucked up in bed with a
mug of cocoa and a good book. In today’s modern society, 72% of adults spend their time in
bed before falling asleep updating or checking their friends status updates on Facebook.

  The study commissioned by Travelodge hotels surveyed 6,000 adults to explore the
nation’s bedtime habits and key findings revealed we have become a nation of
‘Online-A-Holics’. So bad is the problem that seven out of ten Britons are tweeting,
poking, surfing and writing on each others’ walls instead of going to sleep. In addition
18% of adults send a daily night-time tweet to their followers and one in five Britons
catch up on tweets from their favourite celebrities and friends in bed.

  On average each night Britons are spending 16 minutes in bed socially networking with
pals - with the peak chatting time being 9.45pm. This time spent social networking is
affecting Britons sleep quota as on average respondents reported they are getting just six
hours and 21 minutes sleep per night. (This is one hour and 39 minutes below the
recommended quota of eight hours of sleep per night.)

  Dr Michael Hastings, an expert in sleep patterns and body clocks and a research
scientist for the Medical Research Council at Addenbrooke’s Hospital (Cambridge University
Hospitals), said “From a sleep point of view, this news is not good at all as it’s having
a huge negative effect on people’s sleep. Adults don’t realise what impact using
computers, mobile phones and other gadgets before falling sleep is having on their night’s
sleep. Being exposed to bright light from computer and mobile phone screens while in bed
completely delays the brain and body’s ability to get to sleep.”

  “As a result, people are not able to get to sleep as quickly as they should and aren’t
getting the required amount of sleep they need each night. A lot of people think that when
they go to sleep their brain is turned off but that is not the case. The brain simply
engages in a different activity where it stores important memories and gets rid of
information that is not needed. If people aren’t getting enough sleep each night their
long-term memory is most definitely being affected and using social networking sites and
technology before they go to sleep is worsening this.”

  “The sad thing is social networking is doing exactly what it was invented for - to
grab people’s attention and make them addicted.

  Corinne Sweet, Psychologist, comments on the research findings: “We have become a
nation of ‘online-a-holics’. This addiction for social networking supports Maslow’s theory
of humans having three basic needs. One of these being the need for love, affection,
belonging and self-worth and Facebook provides the perfect solution to fulfil this
requirement. By socially networking we can fulfil our need to communicate and share our
news in one hit with all of our contacts across the world 24/ 7 and obtain a comprehensive
snapshot of what they are up to at any given time.”

  “Like all things there is a time and place and social networking should not take place
between the sheets as it can be detrimental to our well being. By texting, tweeting,
surfing and writing on our walls in bed we are nodding off with a busy mind which impacts
upon our quality of sleep during the night. Bedtime should be associated with calming down
and chilling out with a good book, listening to easy music, catching up with your partner
or enjoying a love-making session in order to get a night of deep, nourishing sleep. Make
time earlier in the evening for social networking as it will help you distress after a
hard day and prepare you for bedtime”.

  Further research findings revealed that 65% respondents stated the very last thing
they do before nodding off at night is to check their mobile phone for text messages. On
average Britons will spend around nine minutes every night texting before falling asleep.
Four out of ten adults reported they have a regular text communication with friends in bed
every night.

  So bad is the obsession with bed-texting that 20% of Britons surveyed confessed they
have stopped mid-way whilst making love with their partner to check on an incoming text
message.

  Corinne Sweet, Psychologist said: “‘No sex, Im texting’ is the new British bedtime
motto, it seems but couples need to be aware it can feel quite insulting to come second
(as it were) to a text which can result in serious problems within a relationship. It’s a
good idea for love and intimacy to really blossom, if all mobiles and laptops can be left
out of the boudoir, at least during love-making. Nothing is more annoying than the
constant bleep of electronics to interrupt your night-time bliss”.

  Twenty seven per cent of adults surveyed also reported they are regularly awoken
during the night by an incoming text message. Whilst a quarter of workers (25%) reported
they frequently get a late night work related text from their boss.

  Fifty one per cent of British adults surveyed stated the very first thing they do when
they wake up - before even getting out of bed is to check their mobile phone for new texts
or emails. One in ten respondents reported they will respond to any texts that have come
through the night before getting out of bed.

  As well as socially networking, a quarter of the nation (25%) does their weekly
grocery shopping between the sheets. Whilst one in ten adults settles any outstanding
bills online before nodding off. Over a third of the nation (35%) likes to surf celebrity
news websites in bed for the latest showbiz gossip before slumbering.

  With the festive season fast approaching 47% of respondents reported they are spending
their time before falling asleep shopping for Christmas presents and making the necessary
festive season arrangements.

  One in ten Singletons surveyed admitted they like to check out online dating websites
before falling asleep in the hope of finding their perfect partner.

  The study also revealed the timehonoured, faithful alarm clock is set to become
obsolete with 84% of adults now using their mobile phone as an alarm clock to help wake
them up in the morning. In contrast in 2008 only 34%* of Britons used their mobile phone
as a wake-up call. On average 36 of adults will get out of bed immediately once the alarm
goes off whilst 42% like to press the snooze button a couple of times.

  One in ten adults will set their daily alarm half an hour earlier than they need to
get - so that have 30mins of snooze time every day.

  Travelodge Sleep Director, Leigh McCarron said: “Alarm clocks have been shown to cause
heart rhythm irregularities which can cause a heart attack. The alarm clock’s strident
ringing tone can be a shock to the body and mind. My recommendation is to wake up
naturally as the awakening is part of a natural sleep-wake cycle and it can help you feel
less groggy. Make your last thought before sleeping to be your intention to wake up at a
particular time and sleep in complete darkness to aid a natural wake-up call.

  About Travelodge:

  The first budget hotel brand to launch in the UK in 1985, Travelodge now operates over
490 hotels and over 35,400 rooms across the UK, Ireland (11) and Spain (4). Travelodge
plans to grow its estate to 1,100 hotels and 100,000 rooms by 2025. Over 13 million people
stayed with Travelodge last year and 90% of reservations are currently made online at
travelodge.co.uk, where room rates start at GBP19 per night. The chain employs over 6,000
staff.

  For further information, please contact: Emma Arthurs, T: +44(0)1844-358703

Source: Travelodge