Millions of people in Britain are now listening to a recording of waves breaking on a beach,soft music,and chat with their partner to help them fall asleep,a new research has shown. On average we take 37 minutes a night trying to get to sleep,according to a study. One in five say noises from nature help them doze off,with favourites including sounds of the rainforest and birds twittering. The sound of waves is considered the most soothing,preferred by 11 per cent of Britons,followed by soft music (nine per cent). The wind was voted most relaxing by eight per cent,with the ticking of a clock coming fourth (six per cent) and then late-night radio (four per cent). The study also reveals that 11pm is the most common time for going to bed and that we sleep for an average of six hours 49 minutes. Doctors recommend around an hour more than this. The most popular method for unwinding before nodding off,according to the survey by Chessington World of Adventures Resort in Surrey,is reading in bed,chosen by 45 per cent of Britons. In an admission thats rather open to misinterpretation,ten per cent claim that a chat with their partner soon has them falling asleep. The research found the noise most likely to keep us awake is someone elses snoring,which is the most annoying bedtime sound for 27 per cent. Sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley said: Listening to sounds you like helps the brain tune out other more disruptive sounds,so you get a better nights sleep. Noises from nature,which tend to provide a continuous,familiar sound which you dont have to actively listen to,can be particularly helpful. Its not uncommon to find everyday sounds such as the hum of traffic and even rock music relaxing. Wayne Rooney has even admitted he likes to drop off to the sound of a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer. With Britons sleeping for only six hours 49 minutes per night,it is clear theres a real need to improve our methods of falling asleep, he added.
