Nightly nookie aids sleep

Published on Sunday 26 July 2009 12:32

Sex before bedtime is one of the best ways to guarantee a good night sleep, a survey revealed today.

Doctors suggested that those struggling to nod off should engage in a bout of nightly nookie.

But, on a less romantic note, they also recommended sleeping in separate beds was the best solution to ensure couples enjoyed undisturbed, quality sleep.

One in six doctors quizzed for the survey backed the sex before bedtime approach, with 38% recommending separate beds.

GPs aged 55 and over were the greatest believers in sex as a way to aid restful sleep.

A third of the doctors quizzed said there has been a rise in the amount of patients they are seeing about sleeping problems since the start of the recession.

Some 82% felt people were putting their health at risk by not getting a good enough quality of sleep.

The survey revealed 61% of GPs thought people didn't seek medical help or take action to address health problems that disturb sleep because they feel their condition is not serious enough.

Primary Care Physician Dr Patricia Mcnair says: "With just 21% of the population getting the recommended eight hours of sleep a night, it is vital that the time spent in bed is as restful as possible.

"Sleep is a fundamental part of our wellbeing, affecting us in many ways including energy levels, concentration and mood.

"I recommend that people take steps to make sleep more of a priority in their life and take action to address problems that regularly disturb their sleep."

The survey of 400 British doctors was carried out by Crampex, who produce a treatment for muscle cramp.