Research by bed manufacturer Silentnight into mattress buying habits has revealed that a quarter of Britons get less than five hours sleep a night – and while the survey showed the nation might not be inclined to actually invest in a new mattress, 39% concede that a new mattress would give them a better night’s sleep.
Looking to address the chronic lack of sleep and demonstrate the choice of mattresses on offer, Silentnight hosted the world’s first bed speed dating event during National Bed Month (March), alongside sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, in a bid to help the nation fall back in love with sleep.
The event at Manchester’s intu Trafford centre saw sleep-deprived shoppers visit a pop-up installation to share their sleep problems with Nerina and be matched up with a suitable Silentnight mattress.
Nerina says: “I see so many people who have a strained relationship with their sleep and as a nation it’s something we need to address. I think we really need to assess how high up on our priorities list sleep is. We spend a third of our lives sleeping yet so many of us aren’t getting enough, and when we do sleep we’re doing it on uncomfortable secondhand mattresses.
“A good environment is an essential part of getting deep, restorative sleep, and this means everything from the right light and temperature in your bedroom to choosing the right comfort of mattress. Everyone is different and has different sleep needs.”
Silentnight’s marketing director Nick Booth adds: “Our research has shown that people find the mattress buying process confusing and often get stuck in a rut sleeping on the same old mattress for many years. We recognise that this is a problem and understand from our rigorous testing and research that everyone is different and has different sleep needs. Our event really showcased the choice on offer from Silentnight and reinforced the message there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to getting a good night’s sleep.
“We had a great response from the public who really engaged with the ‘bed speed dating’ and we hope to take the event on the road to other locations later this year.”
