Scots are losing the equivalent of more than a week of sleep every year because of snoring, according to new research examining just how much the nighttime nuisance is affecting life beyond the bedroom.
Research from Zeus Sleeps found adults in Scotland experience snoring on average at least three nights out of seven, with almost an hour of sleep lost on each of those nights.
Across an entire year that adds up to around 186 hours of missed sleep, suggesting the familiar nighttime soundtrack of nudges, kicks under the duvet and occasional retreats to the sofa may be costing households rather more rest than many realise.
The research also found snoring can become a relationship issue, with 55% of those surveyed saying they find it unattractive and 39% of people in relationships complaining to their partner about it.
There may be reason for a little sympathy for whoever is making the noise, however, as 49% of respondents admitted they have actually woken themselves up by snoring.
For some people the embarrassment extends well beyond bedtime, with 21% saying snoring affects how confident they feel about sleeping beside their partner and the same proportion worrying about situations where they might fall asleep around other people.
That concern appears to be influencing social and travel decisions too, with 17% saying they avoid or would like to avoid holidays because of snoring, while 5% would avoid a work or business trip and 4% would stay away from a music festival.
More than one in five said they would avoid staying overnight with friends or family, while 28% would rather avoid situations requiring them to share a room.
Among those who do travel with other people, 7% said they feel anxious about falling asleep because of their snoring, while 6% deliberately stay awake later than their fellow travellers.
Nigel Clarke, CEO at Zeus Sleeps, said:
“Snoring is turning bedtime into bedlam as it’s quietly robbing the nation of much-needed rest.
“We’re not just losing hours of sleep to snoring, we’re losing mornings, energy and even those moments we plan with loved ones from the fear and embarrassment that snoring causes.
“An act that many of us can’t control, or even know we’re doing, we need to turn snoring from taboo to talking point and look to sleep solutions, such as Zeus Sleeps, to help Brits get back to having a good night’s sleep.”
The figures suggest that something usually dismissed as an irritating nighttime habit can have consequences stretching into relationships, travel and everyday life, although perhaps the most immediate casualty remains the person lying awake beside it wondering whether another strategic nudge might finally bring a few minutes of peace.
