Country Folk Enjoy 219 More Hours Of Sleep A Year Than City Dwellers: Study

 

Adults living in the countryside get 219 hours more sleep a year than city dwellers.

A study of 1,000 country dwellers and 1,000 city residents found 12% of the latter admitted they struggle to sleep.

City people wake up five times due to traffic (21%), light reflecting into their room (16%) and neighbor disturbance (24%).

And when country residents are woken up, it takes them four minutes less to get back to sleep.

The research was commissioned by Emma Sleep, which has launched a sleeping experience allowing guests to literally count sheep.

Images show a sleep dome which housed two guests, showing that counting sheep actually does aid falling asleep.

 

Participants were invited to nod off beneath the stars among the idyllic hillside views surrounded by a flock of sheep.

The livestock had numbers on them, so guests could quite literally count them from inside the comfort of the dome.

Sleep scientist Theresa Schnorbach said: “Many people who live in a city may experience a knock-on effect on their sleep.

“Our results do seem to show a trend that living in a quieter area can really have a tangible impact on the amount of sleep you get, and the quality of that sleep.

“So it’s no wonder that the trend of Green Sleep is booming, with people booking getaways to the countryside with sleep as a main benefit.”

The research also found people in rural areas tend to go to bed slightly later than those in cities – at 10:40 P.M. on average, compared to 10:28 P.M. in urban spaces.

 

But they also get up later – rising at 7:14 A.M., whereas people in cities get up on average at 6:58am.

City residents are also slightly more likely than rural residents to report always waking up tired (14% vs 12%).

As a result, 24% of city dwellers also report higher levels of sleeping better when they’re on holiday.

This is 10% more than those who are already in a quiet environment (15%).

The study via OnePoll also revealed 56% of country dwellers think their air has a positive impact on their rest

While over a third of those in cities suspect the urban air and fumes have a negative impact.

But to try to nod off, 13% consider a cup of tea part of their bedtime routine.

While 21% couldn’t drop off without a cuddle from their partner, and 12% need a snuggle from their pet.

Schnorbach for Emma added, “No matter where you’re going, having a routine in place can help.

“If you always have a cup of tea at the same time before going to bed, carry that on when you’re on holiday.

“It lets your body know the routine isn’t changing.”

Produced in association with SWNS Talker

Edited by Kyana Jeanin Rubinfeld and Jessi Rexroad Shull