Good sleep routine tips from people who sleep well

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDMar 4 2012

In a survey of nearly 2,000 adults who claim to enjoy an undisturbed sleep every single night of the week, good sleep habits were outlined.

The survey showed that the events of the evening have an impact on the night ahead. Surveyors found that a good sleeper ensure they have at least two hours and seven minutes 'down time' before hitting the bed. The average person will watch at least an hour and three quarters of television, opting for soap operas or comedy quiz shows. And when going to bed, Brits have another 20 minutes rest time before finally falling asleep at 10:26pm.

Tania Johnston, spokeswoman for bed linen brand Bedeck, said, “The survey draws attention to a common pattern of events leading up to bedtime, and the things most people who get a good night's sleep do whilst in bed. When people are juggling busy work and personal lives, a perfect sleep can make all the difference. It seems one of the key elements is to have a good couple of hours doing very little - such as reading a book, watching the television or playing computer games. And the actual time people are going to bed is important, with most people ensuring they get a healthy eight or nine hours a night.”

The survey shows that while most people spend 41 minutes after getting home from work checking emails, they then down tools for the rest of the evening. And although much of the evening is spent watching television, the average person will also surf the net for 51 minutes, and spend 41 minutes chatting with a partner or on the phone to their mum or friends. Good sleepers finish their evening meal an hour and 31 minutes before going to bed, and have their final drink - a cup of tea - at 9:10pm.

When getting under the covers, more than a third of those polled opt for pyjamas or a nightdress - while 27 per cent are more comfortable in just their underwear. And as 10:26pm approaches the average happy sleeper will turn onto their right side, get their partner to cuddle into them, and ensure they are sleeping on the right side of the bed when facing the ceiling.

The following morning, after a perfect night's sleep, people wake at a respectable 6:47am to the sound of their alarm clock. And a third of those polled will literally bounce out of bed every morning of the week.

Tania Johnston added, “It would be great to know that if you followed a certain string of events, and approached bedtime in the same way every night, you would be guaranteed a wonderful night's sleep. Obviously other factors will be relevant to getting the wonderful night's sleep - such as having a stressful day, being worried about something or having a partner that snores loudly every night. But for those people with relatively stress-free lives, sometimes all that is needed for a good rest is a chilled out evening and a bit of routine.”