We're officially a nation of struggling snoozers, with the average Brit reporting just three 'good' nights of sleep per week (and almost half of us saying bad kip leaves us feeling stressed, irate or anxious) – which is probably why the 7:1 sleep method is getting so much attention right now.
As much as we love the creeping in of lighter evenings, and therefore brighter earlier mornings, many of us are still finding it tough to properly switch off, but experts are now suggesting that aiming for a solid seven hours of sleep per night, and keeping a bedtime that is as consistent as possible (e.g. it varies by no more than one hour per night), is the key to training your body to restore itself.
Fans of the 7:1 sleep method are so confident in it, that it's even been reported that if you can crack the pattern it could extend your life by as many as four years. (!)
The 7:1 sleep method's efficiency was recently uncovered in a data deep-dive by the London School of Economics and Vitality, and Dr Nighat Arif explained the findings in an Instagram post, “A huge study from the London School of Economics and Vitality found that just one habit - getting 7 hours of sleep at roughly the same time each night - could cut your risk of early death by nearly a quarter and add up to four years to your life.”
Study authors add: “Vitality’s data shows that while getting enough sleep is important for good health, consistency of bedtime is an even stronger predictor of sleep-related risk.
“Falling asleep consistently within a one-hour bedtime window lowers mortality risk and in-hospital admissions by an estimated 31% and 9% respectively.”
So, there you have it: we should all be aiming for seven hours of sleep, beginning no later than one hour beyond your allotted bedtime. Happy dreaming, one and all!
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
