SKIPTON, England, August 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

As children across the UK prepare to go back to school over the next few days, The Sleep Council reveals the results of its latest survey.

They go to bed later, eat later and prefer playing in to playing out.

According to The Sleep Council, the seismic shift in children's lifestyles since the Queen came to the throne in 1952 could be having a detrimental effect on their ability to achieve a good night's sleep.

It found that today's seven to 14-year-old 'Jubilee Generation' children go to bed almost 40 minutes later than their 'Coronation Generation' grandparents.

The Sleep Council survey asked 1,006 grandparents with grandchildren aged seven to 14, to compare their early lifestyle with that of their grandchildren. 21% said when they were children, they would spend more than three hours playing outside on the average school day. That compares to the 28% who said their grandchildren now spend less than 30 minutes playing outside on the average school day.

When they were children, 24% of grandparents went to bed on a school night between 7 - 7.30pm whereas 20% of children these days go to bed between 8.30 - 9pm.

Before bedtime, more than half of the Coronation Generation (54%) read books when they were schoolchildren, whereas less than a third of today's kids read books before bedtime - 58% of them now spend that time watching television.

In terms of main meals, 70% of grandparents ate dinner before 6pm whereas a far lower 38% of children now eat that early. Just over half (51%) eat between 6pm - 7.30pm.

On the positive side, 36% of grandparents had to share a bedroom when they were children whereas almost three quarters of children now have their own bedroom. 63% of them have a television in the room.

But best of all, while 37% of grandparents slept on hand-me-down mattresses/beds, 78% of today's youngsters have a new one.

Said Jessica Alexander of The Sleep Council: "Modern lifestyles could be having a seriously detrimental effect on children's ability to get a good night's sleep. Today's youngsters get a lot less fresh air and exercise than their grandparents did, go to bed later and watch TV rather than read.

"Much more encouraging is the fact that today's youngsters are far more likely to sleep on a new bed and have a room of their own. Grotty old, hand-me-down mattresses in a room shared with other siblings is not conducive to a perfect sleeping environment."

Note to Editors: The research for The Sleep Council was carried out online by Opinion Matters between 27/07/2012 and 03/08/2018 amongst a panel resulting in 1,006 grandparents of 7-14 year old respondents.

Press Contact: The Sleep Council +44(0)1756-791089 email:  info@sleepcouncil.org.uk 

SOURCE The Sleep Council