Bristol has the most trouble sleeping, and York has the best nappers
There’s many reasons for sleepless nights right now. Lockdown, January blues, home-schooling horrors, and all those new shows on Netflix are turning many of us into insomniacs. And when we can’t sleep, we turn to Google for advice. The UK tells Google ‘I can’t sleep’ over 6,000 times a month and asks ‘How to sleep better’ over 5,000 times a month!
New research from Premier Inn has studied our sleeping search trends and queries to reveal where in the UK sleeps best, and where has the least trouble nodding off.
Which UK city sleeps the best?
The 100 biggest cities in the UK were included in the analysis, and it’s York which comes out as the city which seems to sleep best, with its inhabitants very rarely turning to Google to find sleep-advice. Norwich is the UK’s second-best city at drifting off, with very few searches for sleep advice made per person, followed by Exeter, Durham and Chester.
- York
- Norwich
- Exeter
- Durham
- Chester
- Lincoln
- Worcester
- Hartlepool
- Rotherham
- Newport
Which area of the UK is struggling with sleep the most?
At the other end of the spectrum, the five towns and cities in the UK who are making the most online searches for help getting to sleep are:
- Bristol
- Manchester
- Middlesbrough
- Birkenhead
- Edinburgh
A spokesperson from Premier Inn commented: “We’re really interested in all things related to a good night’s rest and so it’s been fascinating for us to see who does and doesn’t need online help when it comes to sleeping. People in York, Norwich and Somerset are making a remarkably low number of searches related to sleep advice – a sign that they must be sleeping soundly.”
For those that are struggling to sleep, Premier Inn has also shared some of its top tips for a good night’s sleep:
Time to dim the lights – “Welcome the sleep hormone melatonin by choosing to dim the lights especially in the evenings – engage in a new cosy dim or candle light relaxation and switch up your sleep time habits.”
Keep the same routine – “Your Healthiest Sleep loves a consistent wake time. If you want to boost your sleep further then keep a regular bed time in order to protect your sleep wellbeing for a healthy mind, body and energy boost.”
Set screen-free time in mornings and evenings – “Whilst most of us know to step away from screens at night, you should also take time to talk together and really connect away from your usual small screen habits in the morning too. It takes our minds on average 30mins to wake up out of ‘sleep inertia’ and science shows we can feel more reactive to stress in the morning if we don’t sleep well, so take some tech free time for wellbeing and switch up your small screen habits to start your day right.”
Opt for a lower room temperature – “As tempting as central heating is, be sustainable and keep your heating on lower for better sleep health. Around a cooler 18 degrees, and super dark, as these elements will help to promote and sustain good sleep.”
Move your body during the day – “Exercise, or simply aim to move every day for 30 mins (ideally before midday) for better sleep quality. This sleep science habit of moving really helps promote healthier sleep and improved sleep quality sleep at night by as much as 15%.”
Interested in how the UK compares to the rest of the world on the zzz scale? The full breakdown of the number of sleep-related searches made in the UK and other parts of the world at www.premierinn.com/gb/en/news/2021/best-sleepers.html
