According to a recent study, some 73% of Brits regularly check their social network page before falling asleep.
This figure means British people are more likely to be found on their laptop or smart phone surfing the web before lights out than reading a book or flicking through a magazine, which were once the most popular pre-sleep activities.
The study, which was conducted on behalf of the Travelodge, questioned 6,000 people as part of their research making it one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind.
While the poll found that 72% of us are checking our Facebook or Twitter pages for new Tweets and status updates before hitting the sack, 18% of those who took part in the study also admitted to regularly posting a good night status update or Tweet to sign off for the night.
However sleep experts have warned that this kind of behaviour is damaging the nation’s sleep patterns and which could have a knock on effect on health. The bright light which is omitted from the laptop or phone screen prevents the brain from starting its shutdown process in preparation for sleep. The end result is that it’s taking us longer to nod off, which means our overall sleep period is reduced as a result.
As well as checking our Facebook pages, a quarter of Brits are also using their bed time to do their grocery shopping online. The average time spent on the internet while in bed was calculated as 16 minutes.
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