Sleep Habits Around the World (and how to sleep better)

Sleep Cultures & Patterns Around The World Who Gets The Best Sleep? The benefits of a good night's sleep are undisputed, but people from different countries sleep differently, often because of their climate or culture. By analysing several studies based on sleep duration, quality and other patterns, is there a way to determine which country gets the BEST sleep? Amount of Sleep As we age we require less sleep, but cultural differences can also determine the duration of our sleep. How Much Sleep Does The World Get? Recommended amount of sleep for adults sleep length based on sample Let's Break That Down... AUSTRALIA Average sleep time: JAPAN Average sleep time: 8.51 Hours or 511 mins 7.23 Hours or 434 mins That's a whole 77 minutes In this time, you could watch Episodes I to IV of Star Wars and get to the bit just before the Death Star battle. shorter than an average Australian's sleep. That's almost an entire movie in itself! In sleep we are all equal. Spanish Proverb Quality of Sleep Even a full night's sleep doesn't guarantee a GREAT night's sleep. A recent worldwide survey found that: Zz, 1 in 3 1 in 4 People said they usually had a FULL night's sleep but... People said they didn't feel like they had a (i.e. around 8 hours) GOOD night's sleep "Did You Have a Good Night's Sleep?" When people from the following countries were asked the above question, this is how they responded: Rarely or Never Always or Mostly UK USA CANADA MEXICO GERMANY JAPAN So whilst most people regularly enjoyed a good night's sleep, those from Germany, Japan and Mexico had FEWER BAD NIGHTS. A good night's sleep in the UK vs USA Rarely Always or Mostly Never In the UK, 16% of people rarely had a good night, with 11% complaining they NEVER HAD A GOOD NIGHT. That's nearly twice as many sufferers as in the US! Common Factors Affecting Sleep Your chance of a good night's sleep may be affected (for good or bad) if you do any of the following activities before bedtime: BAD vs GOOD 62% of Mexicans 73% of Americons watch TV before going to bed meditate or pray before bed 65% of Japanese people use a laptop, tablet or computer before bed 43% of Britons hod a soothing beverage before bedtime 30% of Germans used a mobile phone before going to bed 48% of Canodians took a warm bath or shower before going to bed Sleep is the best medicine. English Proverb Where The World Sleeps Cimate can also dictate WHERE people sleep (or more specifically WHAT they sleep on). But so long as it's soft and cosy, most of us don't mind. Bed By far the most common way to spend a night's sleep. Futon Common in Japan, but also adopted by some western countries. Hammocks Common wherever ground-based creepy crawlies are best avoided, such as rainforest and tropical areas. How Many Pillows? In much of the western world people tend to sleep with TWO PILLOWS, however, in Asia one pillow is more common. x2 AMERICA & EUROPE x1 Asia Interestingly, almost 1 in 10 people in Japan and Mexico sleep with NO PILLOWS at all. All who snore are not asleep. Danish Proverb Which Countries Nap? In many cultures around the world, napping (polyphasic sleep) is commonplace. Whether it's the Spanish 'siesta' or the Japanese 'inemuri', naps are often associated with dimate or adopted from associated cultures. LATIN AMERICA NORWAY JAPAN In rural areas, formers wake The adopted Spanish custom of the siesta has meant naps are enjoyed throughout much South America. The Jopanese 'nemuri is a nap early to care for their ivestock. This is followed by an early taken at work to increase productivity and demonstrate professional commitment. lunch and a 2-3 hour nap. Take Daly Naps Don't Nop or Rarely Nap The Siesta The Power Nap 60-90 minute nap 20 minute nap 5-6 hours at night 4-5 hours at night Power naps are becoming increasingly popular around Siestas are the most common form of nap around the world, often in countries with a Latin the world and is even heritage or those with hot encouraged by some businesses (e.g. Google) as a climates, where people wish to escape the midday sun. way of energising employees. The Health Benefits of Napping Whilst napping during the day means we need less sleep at night, there's plenty of evidence to suggest it can also be beneficial in many ways. Napping is thought to improve: Mood Alertness Productivity Napping = Healthy Heart The Washington Post reported a study in Greece that indicated those who nap have LESS RISK of heart attack and have been associated with a 37% reduction in coronary mortality, possibly due to reduced cardiovascular stress mediated by daytime sleep. Famous Nappers Include: Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Napoleon, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and George W. Bush Top 10 Night Owls Top 10 Early Birds (BED TIME) (RISE TIME) Poland: South Africa: 00:SS 06:24 Japan: Colombia: 00:49 06:3 1 Chile: Costa Rica: 00:47 06:38 Portugal: 004 Indonesia: 06:55 Philippines: Japan: 00:39 0109 Saudi Arabia: Mexico: 00:39 0109 Taiwan: New Zealand: 0037 07:1| Italy: Switzerland: 0035 07: 3 Malaysia: Australia: 00:35 07: 3 Brazil: Czech Republic: 00:32 07: IS How to Get a Good Night's Sleep Different countries and cultures approach sleep differently, with mixed results. However, there are also plenty of things YOU can do to get a better night's sleep: DO DON'T Take a short nap in the day wherever possible. Use phones, tablets or computers within an hour of sleeping Take steps to unwind in the evening. A Watch too much TV in the evening. Why bath, a hot drink etc. not read a book? And Finally... The World's Best Sleepers Are... With an above-average sleep duration, a siesta culture, a high percentage of 'good night's sleep' reported as well as a positive bedtime routine, the world's best sleepers are. Mexico Sources Brought to you by: foculty.washingtonedu, huffingtonpostcom storwarsminute.com, sleepfoundation.org reference.com. sleepcycle.com, time.com Mill Soldatos, CR. Alloert, FA, Ohta, T. and Dikeos, D.G. How do SHOP individuals sleep around the world? Results from a single-day survey in ten countries. Sleep Medicine, 6:5-3, 2005. themillshop.co.uk AUSTRALIA POLAND FINLAND USN BELGIUM PORTUGAL MEXICO ATULI CANADA GERMANY SWEDEN NORWAY KOREA JAPAN