Survey on Sleep

Ipsos and Ben Schott of 'Schott's Almanac' have teamed up to explore the British public's attitudes towards sleep.

Ipsos and Ben Schott of 'Schott's Almanac' have teamed up to explore the British public's attitudes towards sleep.

Topline Results

  • Ipsos interviewed a representative quota sample of 1,005 adults in Great Britain aged 16+
  • Interviews were conducted by telephone between 3rd and 5th August 2007
  • Data are weighted to match the profile of the population
  • Where percentages do not sum to 100, this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of "don't know" categories, or multiple answers. Throughout the volume, an asterisk (*) denotes any value of less than half a per cent
  • Unless otherwise stated, results are based on all respondents (1,005)

Q1 What time do you usually wake up on a typical ...?

  1. weekday? (a day where you have to work or have tasks to accomplish)
  2. weekend? (a day where you do not have to work or have tasks to accomplish)
  Q1a: Weekday Q1b: Weekend
  % %
Before 5am 6 3
Between 5am and 6am 19 10
Between 6am and 7am 37 21
Between 7am and 8am 25 23
Between 8am and 9am 7 21
Between 9am and 10am 3 11
After 10am 3 9
Don't know 1 1
Refused 0 0
 
Before 7am 62 34
Between 7 and 9am 32 44
After 9am 6 20

Q2 What time do you usually go to sleep on a typical ...?

  1. weekday? (a day where you have to work the following day or have tasks to accomplish the following day)
  2. weekend? (a day where you do not have to work the following day or have tasks to accomplish the following day)
  Q2a: Weekday Q2b: Weekend
  % %
Before 9pm 1 1
Between 9pm and 10pm 6 3
Between 10pm and 11pm 36 20
Between 11pm and 12am 36 34
After midnight 20 40
Don't know 2 2
Refused 0 0
 
Before 11pm 43 24
After 11pm 56 74

Q3 In general, do you think that you get ...?

  %
Too much sleep 3
About the right amount of sleep, or 60
Not enough sleep 36
Don't know 1

Q4 Do you think you sleep more or less than most people, or about the same?

  %
More 14
Less 28
About the same 52
Don't know 6

Q5 How often, if at all, do you set an alarm (on weekdays / workdays)?

  %
Always 42
Usually 13
Sometimes 9
Rarely 11
Never 24
Refused 0
At least sometimes 64
Rarely or never 35

Q6 How often, if at all, do you use the "snooze" button when your alarm goes off? Base: All who ever set an alarm (750)

  %
Always 26
Usually 5
Sometimes 7
Rarely 8
Never 53
Don't know 1
Refused 0
At least sometimes 38
Rarely or never 61

Q7 How often, if at all, do you sleep through your alarm? Base: All who ever set an alarm (750)

  %
Always 2
Usually 2
Sometimes 7
Rarely 22
Never 67
Don't know *
Refused 0
At least sometimes 11
Rarely or never 89

Q8 Do you live with a wife, husband or partner?

  %
Yes 56
No 44
Refused *

Q9 How often, if at all, do you and your wife / husband / partner share the same bed? Base: All who live with a wife / husband or partner (563)

  %
Always 86
Usually 5
Sometimes 2
Rarely 2
Never 3
Don't know *
Refused *
At least sometimes 93
Rarely or never 5

Q10 How often, if at all, do you and your wife / husband / partner disagree about when to go to sleep or wake up? Base: All who live with a wife / husband or partner (563)

  %
Always 5
Usually 1
Sometimes 10
Rarely 17
Never 66
Don't know 1
Refused *
At least sometimes 16
Rarely or never 83

Q11-14 And how often, if at all ... Base: All who live with a wife / husband or partner (563

  Always Usually Sometimes Rarely Never Don't know / Refused
  % % % % % %
... does your wife / husband / partner snore? 17 12 27 17 26 2
... are you woken by your wife / husband / partner during the night? 5 8 26 29 32 0
... does your wife / husband / partner talk in their sleep? 2 1 13 19 60 4
... does your wife / husband / partner sleepwalk? * * 1 2 96 1

Q15 When you are lying in bed, do you usually sleep on the right side, left side or middle of the bed, or do you have no preference?

  %
Right side 36
Left side 32
Middle 7
Do not have a preference 22
It depends/varies 2
Don't know 1
Refused *

Q16 How often, if at all, do you wake up and remember dreaming the previous night?

  %
Always 9
Usually 15
Sometimes 31
Rarely 27
Never 16
Don't know 1
Refused *
At least sometimes 55
Rarely or never 43

Q17 Do you keep a record or diary of your dreams? Base: All who ever dream (838)

  %
Yes 2
No 98
Refused 0

Q18 How often, if at all, do you pray before going to sleep?

  %
Always 12
Usually 5
Sometimes 10
Rarely 9
Never 64
Refused *
At least sometimes 27
Rarely or never 73

Q19 Do you usually sleep with some clothing / garments on, or in the nude?

  %
Some clothing (includes pyjamas, nightshirts, nightgowns, t-shirts, undergarments, etc) 72
Nothing (sleep nude) 27
Refused 2

Q20 Do you usually take a stuffed toy or other comforter to bed?

  %
Yes 6
No 94
Refused *

Q21 What position do you usually go to sleep in? (I am just interested in the position in which you fall asleep; it does not matter if you change positions as you sleep).

  %
On my front 10
On my back 13
On my left side / foetal position 26
On my right side / foetal position 30
It depends / varies 20
Don't know 1
Refused *

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