Science just set our exact bedtime to get the “perfect” sleep

Want a perfect night sleep tonight? Prepare to go to bed at precisely 10:37 p.m., sans self phone, iPad, laptop, television and all other electronic devices.

Okay, we’ve all heard the advice about electronics by now. They’re not good for sleep. In fact, they’re pretty terrible. The artificial light from our devices can mess with our brains and make us feel like we’re not sleepy, even though our bodies are crying out for rest. But what is this 10:37 p.m. business?

A recent study in the UK conducted by George Home polled 1,000 people on their sleeping habits and bedtime rituals during the winter months. They found the ideal bedtime to be 10:37. Not 10:36 or 10:38, mind you. 10:37 on the dot.

Okay, then. If that seems awfully specific to you (hello, yes it does!), wait until you hear the rest of the recommendations. According to the study, you should be climbing into bed with two goose feather pillows beneath a 13.5 tog duvet while wearing a pair of cotton pajamas. While I’m totally on board with the cotton PJ’s because it gives me a great excuse to hit up Nick & Nora, I’m not all that sure what 13.5 tog even means.

Apparently, togs are a way to measure the thermal insulence of a duvet. In other words, how warm they keep you at night. A 13.5 tog duvet is at the warmest end of the warmth spectrum. That also sounds pretty great. I’m the type of person who sleeps with piles of blankets. If I could, I’d probably sleep under one of those lead aprons the dentist puts on top of people when they have x-rays done. I basically like to be crushed into semi-consciousness. So I’m really feeling this idea of a super-heavy duvet.

The experiment also found that people get less sleep in the winter months than they do in the summer. Participants in the study slept an average of 40 minutes less per night during winter. Whoa, that seems like a pretty substantial difference. What gives? Funnily enough, the reason might be because 20% of the people polled said they put off going to bed at night because it was too cold to change into their pajamas. Aww. That seems really sad. We’re guessing a super cute onesie or a fuzzy pair of flannels that you’re dying to put on could change that. Just saying.

I guess I’ll be donning my sock monkey cotton PJ’s and turning off the lights tonight at 10:37. Yeah, I know. It’s Saturday night. Who else is in? Anyone…anyone? Bueller?

Related:

Science just told us you actually maybe DON’T need 8 hours of sleep

What your sleep says about your job, according to science

[Image via Disney]

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