A new study done by Sleep Junkie sheds light on the one thing you should do before turning in for the night.
The organization, which was founded by “a bunch of lifetime insomniacs who wanted something better than restless nights,” recently conducted a study that showed 17 percent of those surveyed had a better quality of sleep when they read a book before hitting the lights.
According to the study, the snoozers who read before bed caught an additional hour and 37 minutes more sleep then non-bedtime readers. On average, the pre-sleep readers spent about 43 minutes reading in bed. Over 80 percent of participants felt that reading before bed helped them relax.
Only 15 percent of respondents said they read five or more nights a week in bed. Coming in second place, only 12 percent of people read in bed three to four nights a week.
When it comes to print, tablet/phone or e-reader, 44 percent of people surveyed prefer to read traditional print books; 38 percent prefer e-readers and the other 17 percent read on their phones. Instead of reading, 72 percent of respondents said they used tech in bed five or more nights a week. Out of that 72 percent, 86 of tech users played with their cell phones in bed.
But about 33 percent struggle of people who use their phones before bed struggle to sleep. Experts believe the blue light emitted from phones and other tech can throw off the body’s circadian rhythm.
When it comes to bedtime readers, they are all about healthy habits. Fifty-six percent of them report eating healthy food as opposed to 44 percent of nonreaders. And 57 percent of bedtime readers engage in healthy recreation; only 43 of nonreader felt that they participated in those same activities.
So, is reading before bed a good habit to start? Maybe, seeing as 96 percent of bedtime readers would recommend the habit to others.
