Eight hours sleep. We’ve all heard how important it is to hit that elusive sleep sweet spot, but achieving it can be a tricky business.
Some studies suggest adults may only need seven hours per night, while other evidence pitches the requisite amount at a rather precise eight hours 40 minutes.
In reality, the optimum amount varies between individuals and the key thing to establish to is a sleep schedule that you stick to rigidly.
Going to bed at the same time and having a relaxing pre-bedtime routine are core elements of getting the right amount of quality sleep.
With that in mind, we take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of the activities many people undertake before they go to sleep.
Meditate your way to sleep
A recent study by Betway using a sleep tracking app found that meditating before bedtime is the best way to ensure you get enough quality sleep each night.
Their research revealed that participants spent an average of 12 minutes awake per night when they used meditation to relax themselves before sleeping.
Meditating significantly helps to reduce stress, which is a common factor amongst people who struggle to get the correct amount of sleep they need.
Wearing a face mask, watching a comedy film and listening to music were the other activities that delivered the best sleep quality for participants in the study.
Cleaning your bedroom also scored well, with people suffering an average of just 17 minutes of restlessness following tidying up.
The smartphone conundrum
Despite being recommended by many people as a great way to get quality sleep, reading a book was only sixth in the list of pre-bedtime activities assessed in the study.
Having a snack before bed also fell into the more disruptive category, while spending time on smartphones also impacted sleep.
Many people partake in mobile gaming and scrolling through social media before sleep, and numerous studies suggest this is detrimental to getting enough rest.
However, the issue around using devices before bed is undoubtedly linked to the blue light they emit during the night, which can trigger increased brain activity.
If you find spending 30 minutes on your smartphone relaxing before sleep, make sure you switch off your device before getting your head down.
Avoid crime and horror
When it comes to getting quality sleep, doing a home workout and watching the news are among the worst things you can do before bedtime.
Speaking with family or friends also scored badly in the study, as this can often lead people to have an overactive mind when they are trying to sleep.
However, in terms of the worst activities to do before bed, watching true crime or a horror film on television have the biggest impact on sleep.
Participants who did this were kept awake for an average of almost 30 minutes per night, which had a significant impact on their ability to function the following day.
On that basis, if you must watch television before bed, find content that is a little more soothing!