1365 – Ikea Sleep Report

Episode 1365 – IKEA Sleep Report

 

[START OF RECORDING]

 

SCOOTER: Friends beyond the binary, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Sleep With Me. I’m so glad you're here. I’m here to be your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your Boris Borlaf if you're…welcome. This is a podcast that’s here to be your friend in the deep, dark night, tell you a silly story, and take my time doing it, because I’m just here to keep you company throughout the deep, dark night whether you're awake or asleep, just like a TV on in the other room or a friend who…maybe you have them on speakerphone or whatever. You say, you just talk to me about a bunch…can you read through a report or something? Your voice is kinda soothing and you never get to the point. That’s what this podcast is.

 

It’s a friend…you don’t even need to call me. You just have to press Play. So, I’m really glad you're here. This is a very silly show. It is a very different show, so try it out and see how it goes. I make the show because I’ve had trouble sleeping my whole life, and then I started making this podcast 'cause I knew what helped me out was not something that was supposed to put me to sleep. So, this show does not pressure you to fall asleep or tell you I’m gonna put you to sleep or…it’s nothing performative. It’s just a friendly, distracting voice to take your mind off the fact you can't sleep, even though I pointed out a bunch in the beginning. So, just see how it goes. I’m really glad you're here.

 

The way the show works…what we got coming up is support so paying for the show’s optional, then a long, meandering intro that’s meant to ease you into bedtime or you could listen to as you're getting ready for bed. But if this is your first time listening, just come along on this journey. Then later on we’ll have a bedtime story. Tonight I’m pretty sure it’ll be based on somebody reading…we’ll be reading through a report about sleep. But don't worry, I’ll make it…I’ll sleep…there’s nothing in my experience less sleep-inducing than sleep news and sleep reports, 'cause they tend to put…I say, oh man, I can't even start with that. But I thought that’d be an idea. Let’s try it and let’s see how it goes. So, I really appreciate you coming by.

 

Whether this is your 1,200th time or your fifth time tonight or your first time, you are welcome here. That’s why I start the show out in the way I do, and I hope I can help you fall asleep or at least make your…at least be able to pronounce some words and at least make your night a little bit less…you know what I mean, a little bit better or even neutral. You say, well, my night went from awful to like, eh, when I started listening to that sleep podcaster. That’s my goal. That’s my dream, is to just make your night a little bit less worse and maybe make it better.

 

Maybe it went over your…you say, oh, okay, I could listen to you on a regular basis, but no pressure. So, see how it goes. I’m really glad you're here, and we make the show together. I work really hard. A team of people work really hard to put it out, and people support the show back or support our sponsors back, and it’s a beautiful thing. So, I really appreciate all the people that are actively a part of that, and if you want to be a part of that, you could…whatever I’m gonna say next is probably how you could do it. Thanks.

 

INTRO: [INTRO MUSIC] Hey, are you up all night tossing, turning, mind racing? Trouble getting to sleep? Trouble staying asleep? Well, welcome. This is Sleep With Me, the podcast that puts you to sleep. We do it with a bedtime story. Alls you need to do is get in bed, turn out the lights, and press Play. I’m gonna do the rest.

 

What I’m going to attempt to do is create a safe place where you could set aside whatever’s keeping you awake, whether that’s thoughts, things on your mind, thoughts about the past, the present, the future, thinking thoughts, feelings, any feelings coming up for you about the past, the present, the future, feelings that are there, physical sensations, changes in time, temperature, routine, you could be going through something, getting over something, traveling, anticipating, in the middle, have guests, whatever it is. I’m really glad you're here and I really hope I can help you with whatever it is that’s keeping you awake by just taking your mind off of stuff and being there for you, to keep you company or just tell you a meandering tale. Yeah, the reason I make the show — I kinda said earlier — is I’ve been there.

 

That’s the main reason I make the show. I’ve been there in the deep, dark night, or I’ve been there before the sun even sets, being like, oh boy, I hope last night’s not like it was…you know what…I hope it’s not like it was last night, or starting to worry about Sunday night on Friday or Saturday afternoon, saying, oh man. I mean, this is just what goes through my head sometimes; I should have never enjoyed that Saturday, 'cause I still got Sunday night coming. The only reason I bring up that stuff is because it’s really our bond, and this is the most subtle bond between human beings that could possibly be there, but it’s powerful; subtle, low-pressure, low participation, but powerful, because we share something, a sense of what the deep, dark night is. It may be different for each person that’s listening.

 

It might be different for you, but you get a sense that we do share something about how it feels, and the better news…and this is really where the bond comes from, is that there’s enough people listening around the world that there is someone out there that closely has experienced what you…you're experiencing, and they really understand what it’s like on the inside and the outside for you, and they're part of the bond if they're…they've been listening for a while…is like, they're really glad you're here. They are rooting for you in a sense of like, man, I hope this podcast helps you like it helped me out, because it’s weird. The guy that makes it is a little bit different, but I had no idea there’d be something out there like this that could help me out.

 

I had no idea to even look for it, and when I found it, I didn’t know what it was. So, I’m really glad you're here now. They're holding a nice space for you where you have plenty of room — don't worry — and they have a smile on their face or a barely smile, because they're lying in bed or they're brushing their teeth, and it’s a nice feeling both ways 'cause it doesn't come with a lot of other stuff. They just say, man, glad you're here. Cool. I hope the show helps you out, 'cause I know what it’s like. They give you a knowing nod across the deep, dark night. So, yeah, that’s the main reason I make the show, but there’s another side to that, which is when you get the rest you need, your life is more manageable and your bedtime is less painful, right?

 

You say, well, at least I have that podcast to listen to, and he’s gonna keep me company, and I know there’s other people listening who are rooting for me, so that’s not too bad. Even though it’s…it’s not terrific…Sleep With Me; it’s not terrific. That’s why I like it. It’s pretty not bad. No other podcaster is lucky as me where they’re saying, well, that podcaster, he’s not bad. He’s pretty okay. He’s mostly not bad. He’s like…I don't know what…he doesn't have a vocabulary to even describe what he does. I guess like midling? I don't know if that’s the right word, but, yeah, he’s adequate. Yeah, there you go. That’s it. He’s adequate. Man, oh boy, is that podcast adequate. Mostly adequate.

 

I feel like I should…maybe should meet up with everybody from that book whose name now escapes me — oh boy, man — and to have a bite at the restaurant at the end of the universe, finally. Maybe hitchhike across the galaxy. But you say, yeah, he’s mostly adequate, pretty much adequate. What is he adequate at? Well, he just puts…he talks about…he talks about something, but it’s almost nothing, and it helps me drift off. I don't understand why it works, but since I started listening, I’m getting more of the rest I need so my life…that’s what’s important to me, is that you get the rest you need so your life is more manageable and that tomorrow you could live your life. If this podcast does help you on a regular basis, you could be flourishing, and that’s what the world really needs, is you in it.

 

Our world’s a better place with you in it more rested and feeling a little bit better and living your life. So, those are my goals, to make you feel less alone in the deep, dark night, but in a way that is a little…I’m a introvert, so you say, oh boy, can you do that…? I say, oh boy, no, I do it…I do it adequately and at a distance. The way…I send my voice across the deep, dark night. I use lulling, soothing, creaky, dulcet tones, pointless meanders, and superfluous tangents. So, I go off topic, I get mixed up, I forget what I was talking about, then I loop back, then I say, oh, what? So, my voice is not traditionally soothing and I don't really follow a clear path. When you get here, you may be skeptical, doubtful, you may even be irritated or not like me or the show, and that’s okay. That’s pretty normal.

 

The majority of people…there’s not really a way for me to do it efficiently, but the majority of people…this show…aren't gonna like me or the show. I even have a website set up for them. So, if you're still listening…I would say give the show a few tries. I’ll explain that, but if you know it’s a ‘no’, me and you, or at least a ‘no’ for now, go to sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou. I daresay we probably introduce more people to other sleep podcasts than listen to this one, and that’s an accomplishment 'cause it goes back to my earlier thing; you still deserve a good night's sleep no matter how you feel about me or the podcast. You may…it may just be neutral, right? You're like, yeah, this just doesn't work. No offense. I say, none taken.

 

Go to sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou and see if there’s something else out there on that website that can help you or introduce you to something that can. But for most people who are regular listeners…and this includes the people that pay to support the show, it took two or three tries. Now, there are people it works for right away or that get the sensibility of the show right away. But for most people, you came in looking for something to put you to sleep with certain expectations, and this show is just different. So, just give it a few tries and see how it goes. You got nothing to lose, really. Then if you decide ‘no’, check out sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothanks or /nothankyou. Either one, I think, will take you there. So, that’s one thing.

 

The other thing is one of the parts that takes some getting used to is this is a podcast you just barely listen to. It’s something you can listen to. Like, I’m here to tell you a story and keep you company, but you don’t need to listen to me. I don't know, this idea of kinda…I’m kinda…barely listen to you…it actually is natural, because we do it all the time. We just don’t notice, or people point it out in a negative way, but it’s okay. It’s like un…I don't know, un-multitasking, nulti…can someone remind me I said that? Nultitasking. Nuli…like nullifying…I’m not trying to nullify multitasking, but it’s kinda like…nultitasking…I think that works. I don't know if that’s actually…is that a prefix what comes at the beginning of a word?

 

But I’ve done it a lot in my life, listened to something else just to have some sort of somewhat-engaging buzzing there, because I got a lot going in with inside and outside, and having something semi-comforting outside of myself that’s…just having some…it’s the same as going for a walk or taking a shower or sometimes when you're driving calmly and you say, hey, man, then I thought of a good idea. I think it follows that same principle. Calm buzzing is the best way I can describe it, even thought that’s not…you know what I’m talking about. Could be a TV on in the other room or something boring or you listen to something, you're repurposing some other audio. It’s a podcast you just barely listen to, but you could listen to it. Also, I’m not here to put you to sleep.

 

I’m here to keep you company while you fall asleep. There is no pressure to fall asleep with this show. The reason…that’s the reason the episodes are over an hour, is I’m here to keep you company while you fall asleep, not to put you to sleep. You could fall asleep or if you can't sleep at all, I’m gonna be here to the very end of the show, and then you could listen to episode after episode after episode or if you need a break during the day, 'cause I’m here for you to keep you company so you don’t have to pay attention to me, but that’s kinda like where you say, I could pay attention to you, but I don't need to. I don't know.

 

So, I’m here to really fill a role as your bore-friend, your bore-bae, your bore-sib, your bore-bud, your neigh-bore, your Boris Borlaf, your boreman, your bores, your bore-sib, your bore-cuz, your bore-bruh, your best bore-friend f’eva, to…yeah, just to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff. You say, ‘I don't know what he was even talking about’ when you wake up tomorrow. Pretty sure he was gonna go through some sleep report from IKEA that he’s gonna paraphrase and probably go on tangents that have nothing to do with it. But I don't know if I even got to that part. I think I did, but I don't know. It was great. So, that’s…yeah, it’s a podcast most people don’t like, especially at first. You don’t really listen to it. It doesn't put you to sleep. It keeps you company. Give us more good news. No problem.

 

The structure of the show is very intentional, but the podcast is flexible. So, I’ll just run through why we structure the way…the show the way we do. Let me know if this part works. I don't know, I get so many e-mails where the…that I feel like it’s good that I explain this every time, but now I’m like, huh, do I need to? But I guess it’s someone’s first time listening. If it’s your first time listening, you might appreciate this, and that’s important to me. But if you're a regular listener, you could also let me know, and I say, huh, okay, let me think about this. But the show starts off with a greeting, which may be the most important thing, so you feel welcomed and you say, I could check that podcast out. You say, okay, well, I could check that show out. It sounds like a nice…sounds nice enough, and he sounds adequate.

 

I say, wow, you really are perceptive. You knew I was just adequate right at the beginning, huh? So, that’s the greeting, then there’s support. Most people — over the years I’ve learned this — prefer to listen to something ad-supported that they don’t have to pay for, and they like to listen to it linearly and just let the episode run and stop at the end of the episode. Then there’s people that use sleep timers and…at sixty minutes, forty-five minutes, and that’s the great thing about podcast apps. They have all settings like that. But most people like an ad-supported version of the show, and they just listen to it in order. So, that’s kinda the way it goes, 'cause we have the welcoming, then support, then an intro.

 

Now, if you prefer something without ads, you could get that on Sleep With Me+, but the intro part is separate from the support and it’s about fifteen to twenty minutes long, where I try to explain what the podcast is kinda inefficiently and I go on different tangents. I follow the same structure every time, but every intro is different and every intro takes fifteen to twenty minutes so that you get some variety but in a familiar way. That’s one of the things I think is important about a sleep podcast. You say, okay, it’s cozy and comfortable like I know it, but it’s not predictable. Then the other thing is it’s fifteen or twenty minutes so you can wind down. The intro is not meant to put you to sleep. If you find yourself…I mean, some people fall asleep right away, a small percentage. That’s great.

 

But if you like something without intros, we have Bedtime Stories from Sleep With Me, and that’s ad-supported on every podcast app, too. But for most people, the intro is just part of their routine, a nice bedtime routine that you could kinda start to slowly build for yourself with no pressure from me, and you could listen to the intro while you're getting ready for bed, you're getting in bed and getting comfortable and cozy, or you're doing a chill activity and winding down. That’s just what’s been shown to work, what’s worked for me personally, is just having that buffer between when you're waking and kinda starting your night, to end your night, and later when you'll try to fall asleep or trying…maybe that just goes with the thing; you can't try to fall asleep, right? Because those of us that are here have tried a lot.

 

So, it just eases that…it’s a wind down or a landing strip or whatever. So, that’s the intro. Then again there’s support, and then there will be our bedtime story. The bedtime story’s about forty-five, fifty minutes long, and all told, we’ll be here for over an hour to keep you company and take your mind off of stuff and put you to sleep. So, I’m glad you're here. Again, if you ever have any feedback or any questions, you can always get me through the contact form on our website, 'cause I really want you to be a part of this. If you're a regular listener or you're new and you have questions, reach out, you know? I’m here, because we do do this together.

 

I could not be here and all the people that work on the show could not be here without those of you that are a part of this thing, and never more in the history of the podcast have I been more grateful for that, because we get to help…we're helping…you're helping out so many people, and that’s cool because…yeah, and then not everybody has to participate, right, 'cause there’s so many people, like I said, that just like listening to this linearly and passively, and that’s cool, too. So, we do it together, 'cause…you could just smile for those new listeners, and you're a part of this thing. Or you could just say, yeah, man, I see you out there and I’m glad you're here.

 

We can all do that kinda together, and you could even just do it in your head or you could say, nah, man, don't want to do it together. That’s cool, too. So, I’m glad you're here. I really work hard. All of us that work on the show, we yearn and we strive. We really want to help you fall asleep, or at the very least, adequately keep you company in the deep, dark night. So, I’m glad you're here. Thanks again for coming by, and if you ever wonder how we are able to do this and you want to take part, here’s a couple ways we are able to do it. Thanks.

 

Alright everybody, Scoots here. This is a different episode than we’ve done before. We're gonna be looking through…we’ve looked through…I don't know if we’ve looked through a paper IKEA catalog. I know I’ve gone…maybe we haven't. So, I guess I gotta put that on our list, too. I know we’ve virtually visited an IKEA and we’ve put together IKEA furniture. This is not sponsored, but they did put out this report in 2025 called Sleep Uncovered, and I realize they have a lot…but it’s a very visual report and I figured it’s about sleep. Why not look through it? But then I thought, who best of all the people we work with to present this report…and then someone appeared who I had no idea even existed who calls…what do you call yourself? I’m Super Relaxed Scoots. Oh boy, who are you?

 

I’m you, but I’m super relaxed. I’m gonna talk about sleep. Cool. Alright. Well, so, I’m gonna turn things over to Super Relaxed Scoots. Are you chillaxed or relaxed? The term’s ‘relaxed’, man, 'cause I’m…over and over again…yeah, I’m in a state of relaxation. Okay, cool. I wish I could occupy the same space as you. Yeah, you just don’t know it, man, but that’s fine. Okay, so this is a new person on the show. If you like Super Relaxed Scoots, let me know, particularly if you support the show directly or…so we could do…we could maybe have you on…I mean, I don't know. You've never been on the show before. It’ll be fine either way. So, thanks, Scoots, for having me on.

 

Yeah, this is Sleep Uncovered, IKEA Sleep Report 2025. We’ll only be paraphrasing and looking through this. It’s a nice cover in the IKEA style. I don't know if there’s an official IKEA font, but they do have a familiar font and a familiar look to their catalog. There’s a lot of great photos and ideas of idealized spaces to sleep in. When they say why they did it or whatever, you sleep one-third of the time, and this is one of their most extensive surveys on sleep behaviors around the globe. They're looking to better understand sleep and…because it’s crucial. So, yeah, man. We're gonna read through it slowly and paraphrase it. We got a image of two twins in a bedroom next. It is…they have a big clock…a eye clock…a canaclock. They also have nice…they have matching plants. It looks like a winterscape outside their windows.

 

Matching PJs, twin beds close to the ground…mirror images of one another, except they're…one’s laying down and one’s sitting. Oh, the time…it’s bedtime, of course; 9:40. More like they're winding down. There’s a quote from Dr. Christian Benedict about sleep and how fascinating it is, so much more than rest. Thanks, Dr. Christian. Don't know if you're familiar with that song, but if we ever did a performance, we could do a parody song. I mean, we wouldn't be parodizing you, but a parody of the song Sister Christian. But we’d do it about Dr. Christian. It’d be pretty easy, right? The time is nearly right. It’s time to turn out the light and sleep, to bid day adieu. Thank you, Dr. Christian. Then they run through the contents. There’s a introduction. Chapter One: The Secret Life of Sleep. Chapter Two: Behind Closed Eyes.

 

Chapter Three: Goodnight Every Night and What’s Next? Thirty-four pages, man. A lot of photographs, but not photographs like in the song, 'cause we would change that to…I don't know, something. Pillow…pillow pals? That’s…maybe not, 'cause they don’t…we’ll work on that. Yeah. Relaxing Scooter…what a time to be with Sleep With Me podcast. Okay, so, we’ll just be paraphrasing. There’s a picture of someone holding it. Comes with an executive summary. 55,221 people from fifty-seven IKEA markets about their sleep habits…and people want sleep, more sleep than they're getting. There’s not a lot of fairness in sleeplessness and sleep quality, and things at home can either help you or not help you. They also explain their methodology. Six global experts contributed.

 

This is one of the largest surveys on sleep habits and differences. All markets were weighted equally in the global figures. Samples were designed to be nationally representative as far as they could. Yeah, they…I don't know, they talk a lot about the methodology if you're interested. A beautiful bed up next. A whole family sleeping, sound asleep. Lots of pillows and blankets, and even some stuffies. A lot of textures. It looks very comfortable and cozy. Then the next page talks about the top-five sleep-loving places. People love to sleep. You got modern times…and it’s getting a lot of attention. 70% is one of the greatest joys. 74% for people eighteen to twenty-four. Less important over sixty-five; only 63%. Some people would rather sleep — or most people; more than half — than go out and do a social activity.

 

Students, parents, and night-shift workers are more likely to view sleep as a joy than others. Can I mention it’s a joy to be with all of you, relaxing and being here chill, man? Don’t want to lean into that vibe too much, 'cause I’m just relaxed. I’m not relaxed for any other reason, and I’m happy to be here with you relaxing. But the top-five sleep-loving places are Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, and Egypt. If you're wondering how much on average people…more sleep people want; one hour and twenty minutes. So…but there’s some places in the world people want nine hours and get a lot less, and then there’s some people where…places where people almost get up to eight hours. Mainland China is the only place with a regular average sleep; over seven hours. 65% of people take naps on this one.

 

Now, in Egypt, 64% of people rate their sleep…not their sweep quality but their sleep quality as good. Let’s try…we're gonna stick to the positive ones. 5:00 a.m. is the time in…people in Colombia like to wake up, which in this survey was the earliest risers. 00:45 a.m. is the latest bedtime, and that is in Turkey. Wow, 00:45, man. That’s 00 hundred before…or 0045 hundred. 82% of people in Mainland China rarely wake up tired. As far as pets, 5% of people in the UK sleep with their pets. 2% the global…is the global average. 57% of people in Bulgaria…drinking coffee is the first thing they do when they wake up. 24% is the global average. Now, we get to another big picture, Behind Closed Eyes, but we want to also take a look at this like it is…not in a negative way in advertisement. This has a couple in bed.

 

Seems to be a full-size bed or a queen-size bed. They have a room-length shelf built into the wall, and they have three lights over their bed. They have cubes on their wall, somewhat like cubbies with books. They also have a plant. They have a globe light away from their bed, a table…is that a fish tank there or a fish bowl? I believe it is a fish bowl. Nice layers. They seem to have two blankets and a duvet. Tough to tell if they go…they're both wearing PJs. Also at the head of the bed they have another blanket. That’s kind of a smart move if you have plenty of room at the top of your bed for yet another blanket. I don't know if they have a top sheet or a duvet only. But next up is IKEA Sleep Score.

 

Now, this is something IKEA bases on their respondants’ answers to questions about the five factors that make up good sleep. So, we’ll do that, and then it’s calculated and stuff. So, there’s sleep quality, which is do you feel like you're getting…how does the quality feel? Sleep duration; how long? Sleep flow; how often do you wake up? That one, man…I don't know why I keep saying ‘man’. People, man. Still saying it. I guess it’s just something…a learned behavior from Cheech and Chong, which I just saw in a film about Lower Manhattan after dark, which I had never seen before. I don't know if we actually completed the movie, 'cause Scooter…he bounces around a lot. But it was…it had a lot of famous people in it, too. It looked like fun. Oh, and Scooter also said that…you know what I’d like to do, Relaxed Scooter?

 

I said, what? He said, if he was to have walked home…the main character in this movie was called After Hours. We looked it up. I think it was a two-and-a-half-hour walk, maybe, or maybe it was…it was pretty far. Maybe ten miles, maybe five miles. I don't know…Lower Manhattan to Upper East or West Side. But one day we're gonna do that walk for all of you. I don't know how…what time we’ll do it at, 'cause we’d have to scout it out first. I guess we could walk both ways. Could we do that? I don't know. If it’s ten miles, probably not. If it’s five miles, we could. Okay, so, sleep flow is how often you wake up. Not sure…oh, I was talking about Cheech and Chong. That’s why I kept saying humans, my people. What can I say? Drift off time; how much time does it take to fall asleep?

 

Well, if you listen to these Sleep With Me episodes with the intros, that’s your wind down and then your drift off. This isn't a criticism of the report, but it’s…those are two different things in the Sleep With Me world. There’s a wind down and then a drift off. They go hand in hand and work with one another. Then number five is your wake-up state. How are you feeling when you wake up? These are the sleep scores around the world. Coming in at number one…I guess we should not do number one first. We could do it like a countdown. It’s been a while since Scooter’s just read through lists. But this is your Top 56 Sleep Scores for 2025, here on RLAX Radio. Oh, it’s gotta be a W or a K. KLAX is a real station. W…WLAX Radio.

 

Night Water Radio; that’s one we kinda used before, but it’s your top…'cause the reason I said that is because Adam from Night Water…the newsletter you should be subscribed to either free or as a paid subscriber…either way, he introduced us to the BBC Top…countdown. It’s changed who’s done it over the years, but one of our favorite things to listen to to catch…just enjoy the countdown. So, this is our count…thank you, Adam, for introducing us to that. But we're coming in with…coming in at number 56, top of our hearts…bottom of the charts but the top of our hearts, Norway. In the 56th spot is Norway.

 

Now, Norway…also known for many great things, but in Scooter’s world it’s known as the second place you get to when you take a left at World Showcase at Epcot, once the home of a ride that I can't think of right now. Now it’s a Frozen ride. Journey into Norway was not what it was called. It was called The Maelstrom. I’m sure if you're from Norway…school bread…those are not things that represent Norway. Only in manufactured United States’ version of it, and you're correct. A place we’d like to visit. 56; Norway. In fact, every single number was a place we’d like to visit. Coming in at 57; three-way tie. 57, tied for…oh, interesting. So, this is not…so, our survey is off, everybody. Survey says, Scooter, incorrect, man. These are just the scores, not the rankings, but we’ll pretend they are.

 

Tied at 57; Ireland, Sweden, and the USA. Coming in at number 57 on our charts for sleeping, sleeping, sleeping, is Sweden, Ireland, and the USA, all places…one place Scooter’s visited, one his brother visited, and another place he’d like to visit; Sweden. Holy mackerel, would he. So, say hello to us, Sweden. Also interesting to note that Ireland and a couple more on…actually coming in on these charts right in a row, so pay attention, are the top markets outside of the US for Sleep With Me, I think all of these in a row. Huh, that’s…I don't know if that’s…funny. That’s funny. So, 57 is US. That’s the number-one most listeners for Sleep With Me. Tied for 58; the UK, Canada, and Australia. Those are the next three biggest markets for Sleep With Me. Canada, the UK, Australia, and then Ireland and Sweden, all right there in the list together.

 

Coming in at 61, another four-way tie; Jordan, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, and Chile at 61. Now, at 62 we’ve got a one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine-way tie. Coming in at 62; Croatia, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Italy, the Spanish Islands, Latvia, Morocco, and Taiwan. I would say if that was two…is that enough? That’s one extra. Two groups in a international soccer tournament; that would be quite exciting to watch, really. You'd say, okay, wait a second…so, that’s at 62. Next up we have 63, and that’s a two, four, six-way tie; Singapore, Germany, Malaysia, France, Saudi Arabia, and Czechia. That’s a four-way tie at 63, but our ranking doesn't really go…these are your sleep scores, not your ranking, of course. Scooter just got excited when he saw everything was listed. Next up, 64.

 

We’ve got one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine; a nine-way tie at 64. That would be two groups plus one in a international soccer tournament. Again, this would be a good one. Holy moly. Scooter’s having a little trouble reading, but coming in at 64; Colombia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Spain, Austria, Finland, Poland, and Switzerland. Coming in at 64. Next up we’ve got at 65…five at 65. This is time for five at 65. Five great hits. They're sixty-five years old. Or we could do sixty-five hits at five years old if we were actually a radio station. This is Lithuania, Hong Kong, Thailand, Mexico, and Bulgaria, all coming in at 65. Then at 66, a three-way tie between Qatar, Estonia, and Greece. 68 we have…skipping 67. So, we skipped at least one number.

 

Going straight to 68. A two-way tie between the United Arab Emirates and India at 68. Oh boy, we're here with the final four of our countdown. To run back through…maybe we could count to see how many actually are on our countdown; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten…twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight. So, fifty-six plus one is fifty-seven. Fifty-seven; so, we were pretty close. We said fifty-six. There’s fifty-seven, probably. This is the top four, fifty-six or fifty-seven…sleep scores from around the world. Now, I don't know what the chart said last year. I don't know what they’ll say next year. I’m only in this year.

 

Coming in at 69 is Kuwait, happily sitting there at 69 on the chart, Kuwait. Now, right behind Kuwait or right…no, proceeding Kuwait’s following and…coming in 70, number three, is Egypt. That just leaves two on our chart. At 71 is Indonesia. Who will be number one on this sleep score chart? It’s at 74 with a score of 74, three higher than our number two, Indonesia, and eighteen higher than Norway with a 74, Mainland China on our sleep around the world. Then we go to our next page of the report after that countdown, maybe our favorite page because of the image. There’s also a quote from Sophie Bostock, founder of the Sleep Scientist.

 

Sophie says in a lot of countries that are scoring higher on these charts, Indonesia and India, for example, put a lot of importance on social connections and building community and a higher purpose that may impact general happines and sleep. So, that is from Dr. Sophie Bostock. But this image is a very impressive one, and we're gonna have to go through it piece by piece. A aspirational room of maybe a college student or a tween or a teen…we can't tell, but a really well-done room. There’s paper lanterns on the top, and…but not just one circular globe-style paper lantern or hanging lamp, but many; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen…at least sixteen, and well-arranged to give the room a real unique look without looking messy.

 

Each light bulb is set to a different shade. So, some are purple, some are blue, and some are pink. But then the bed also has a…kind of a accent light to give a little bit of light, and a reading light. The person whose room it is is in bed reading. They also have…their wall is a…what is that called? A dry erase board. There’s…it seems to be a magnetic dry erase board or a wall. It says, ‘Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. Let’s just do it. You can. End of story.’ Then a couple other things we can't quite read. There’s also a picture of…it looks like the Chrysler Building. There’s also storage for books and another couple accent lights and some pictures, and then a neon sign. There’s also something that looks like some sort of a part from plumbing, and there’s a chair.

 

So, you could read in bed or you could read in the chair, relax in the chair. The next page is about sleep inequality and identifying it. That’s a real thing compared to the global average. There’s a lot of groups of people that have much lower…much…there’s a lot of challenges in the way of them getting good sleep, and a lot of those things that cause that are people that deal with challenges on a day-to-day basis. It’s not easy. A lot of things that they say will…thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, like Scooter talks about. That adds…structural, environmental, and this is a quote why some groups experience lower sleep scores than others; people dealing with longer working hours, lower pay, other cultural pressures, and environmental factors, crowded cities, noise, light pollution.

 

That’s from the two could-authors of Black Power Naps, Navild Acosta and Frannie Sosa. So, you can also check that out, Black Power Naps. The next page talks about…even though sleep is free and available to everybody, it’s still a luxury. It continues this talk about the things that impact sleep and sleep flow, 'cause that’s…oh boy, do I identify with that sleep flow issue right now. A lot of those things…yeah, thoughts, feelings, physical sensations from the day can impact your sleep flow as well as your sleep score. Behavioral sleep scientist Vanessa Hill said, yeah, if you have a commute to work, multiple jobs, long hours can impact sleep as well. Next up is the sleep mind connection.

 

A little bit different than the Rainbow Connection, but not that different, with thoughts, feelings, physical sensations being the biggest…are part of those reported barriers to a good night’s sleep. It’s not…they're…yeah, it’s thoughts, it sounds like, and things from the day left over. That’s from Stephanie Bostock. So, yeah, 8% could be something you could talk to your GP about. But yeah, there’s just a list of those things that could be impacting it. Next up is something Scooter’s had a lot of good conversations about. We’ve also tried to do some stuff about this, but it never quite developed. But that’s hustle culture and people’s outside opinions about your sleep, 'cause there’s this world that says we should be hyper-productive and sleep is indulgent, and people talking about success and sleep and detaching the two.

 

But yeah, we do know that factually sleep impacts how we work and getting the right balance affects sleep, and the more balance you have between work and life, the better your sleep score; 52 to 67. Dr. Christian Benedict again says, yeah, we're not doing enough to talk about sleep at work, and that good sleep helps us cognitively…perform cognitively and physically. So, yeah, man, it’s a fact. Next up we have another…I like…now, this bedroom’s not our…me and Scooter’s style, but…and it’s not a full picture. It’s a couple wearing kinda matching PJs, and one member of the couple has a record player, a vinyl record player. It looks like he’s about to start playing a record at bedtime. Good idea, I think.

 

But they have their bed…many layers of fabrics and stuff, but it looks like they've even made it into a little bit of a tent bed, which I think is a highly great idea for creating a dark sleep space and also a comforting one. It may not work for me and Scooter because we need that airflow, but if you don’t need that airflow…it doesn't show how they're doing it, whether they're in one of those canopy beds or it’s suspended from the ceiling, but however they're doing it, they're doing it and they're doing it and doing it well, man. It’s interesting. So, that’s good sleep every night. Next up is what’s…what are some good strategies here? They say, from what we’ve heard, it’s about having the right routines, rituals, and surroundings. The global average to drift off is twenty-four minutes.

 

Yeah, so, that’s the time it takes, but that’s…doesn't…in my opinion, I think you could shorten that if you're doing a wind down. I’m big on the wind down. Right? Because let’s say you did twenty minutes of a wind down. I don't think you're gonna drift off in three minutes, but maybe then you can drift off in a little bit less time. But that’s how Sleep With Me is built. Like, let’s say you start a episode in bed; that’s usually when the episode part of the show starts, is about twenty-four minutes into the thing, which is kinda how we’ve always built the show…or wind down and then drift off. But no pressure at all. We're here to relax you, right, and stay relaxed. My first time I’m trying this out as a guest. I’m glad to be here to talk like this, different versions of Scooter.

 

Now it’s talking about screens in the bedroom, but before we get…I guess we could talk about it after, right? So, they say, okay, you don’t want to be looking at your phone, and maybe leave it in another room to get some sleep. That’s easier said than done because phones are a part of a wind-down routine. 72% of people use them in bed. But maybe it’s not…they said, maybe…we don’t understand, because in Mainland China and Indonesia, people sleep well despite high bedtime phone activity and despite phones…one in four people still use an alarm clock. So, phone use in the bedroom; let’s talk about that. We're at…72% is the global average. Eighteen to twenty-four is 86%. Over sixty-five; 51%. Laptops or tablets is 24%. Eighteen to twenty-four; 40%. Over sixty-five; 17%.

 

Then TVs in the bedroom is 39%. That’s highest among fifty-five to sixty-four-year-olds at 42%. Let’s read this next quote and then we could talk about…ooh, there’s another section about wind down coming up. But yeah, Dr. Bostock says, with phones, it’s not about the screen or the light. It’s about the displacement of sleep. People spend an extra forty minutes on their phone before bed, and that’s when our self-control is lowest. So, we just want to talk about it here because we know Sleep With Me gets…is mostly listened to in a podcast app on a phone, right? So, we recommend a couple different things because, yeah, we don’t like to get into all-or-nothing solutions at Sleep With Me, but you don’t really necessarily have to look at your phone, right?

 

If you start the episode while you're winding down, then your screen will be already off, right? Then some people listen with sleep phones, people on their phone speaker itself on…they cast it to a smart speaker and pillow speaker, but…and the reality is maybe you need your phone near your bed because it’s your alarm clock or you have kids or whatever. But that’s kinda what…we lead by example. What we normally try to do around here at Sleep With Me Central is not use our phone, ideally, but that’s tough. Sometimes it doesn't happen. But ideally we start our wind down an hour before we want to be asleep, but that’s part of a enjoyable wind down of doing some writing, stretching, and then reading a book.

 

Now, we have dyslexia, so we can't read a paper book, but what we do is we use kinda whatever gives us the lowest amount of blue light. But yeah, let’s get to this wind-down part here. The wind down…people say going to bed and waking up at the same time is the way…best way to achieve better sleep, or main way. Evidence shows consistent sleep and wake times are important, and having regular wind-down rituals can help, too. Most of us do same…self-maintenance before heading off into dreamland. Again, this is something we’ve seen play out, right, in…with our own personal…trying to stay relaxed, is building a nice routine for yourself, that you try to stay consistent or imperfect, but maybe it’s modules. That’s what it is for us. There’s a foam-rolling, stretching module that ideally we do.

 

There’s a little mini-journal we do. There’s another little check-in we do. There’s a meditation piece we do, and then there’s a reading piece we do, or maybe two sets of reading, like an early wind down where we’re reading something non-fiction kinda to help our focus of what was this day like or where are we going? Then a fiction at the last thing we do. Yeah, any of those modules…you could say, okay, well, I’m not gonna do that. But we do try to say, well, you're not gonna foam-roll 'cause you're in a hurry? Maybe we should foam-roll anyway. We personally do find the phone can be a distraction to that if we're scrolling. Time moves differently for us, at least, when we're doing that, and suddenly 9:30 could become 10:15 pretty quick, where if we're doing those modules, they're each only like five or ten minutes.

 

It’s a strange contrast to get to know yourself better internally and say, how come foam-rolling, which is good for my body, somewhat…nah, barely pleasureable, but we know it’s good, helps with our back, too…how come that takes two or three or five minutes but we always want to say, nah, that’s not…let me do some of this scrolling, though? So, all this is usually a chance to get to know and love yourself a little bit better. But what are some common routines before sleep? 28% of people brush their teeth. 21% wash. 18% drink water. 17…only 17% go to the bathroom, but I guess that’s part of your routine. It is part of our routine, for sure. Watching TV…I guess leading up to it, I could see that. Reading; 15%. Using the phone; 13%. Eating; 8%. Listening to music; 7%, and other belief-based rituals, 7%.

 

Dr. Christian then talks about social jetlag. When your sleep schedule…oh boy, do we know what this is. The difference between weekdays and weekends…our eternal…internal…our internal clock thrives on predictability. So, maintaining a stable sleep schedule, including a consistent wind-down routine, can help. So, that is interesting because we’ve tried to do that, but the problem is that it’s hard, right? I don't want to get up at 6:30 or 7:00 on a weekend. So, that’s something on…even sleep podcasters have room to grow. Alright, bedroom dreams fulfilled; this is satisfaction with bedroom elements. 81% of people are satisfied with their bedding, 78% with their bed, 77% with their sleepwear, 75% with their sleep quality, 72% with their temperature, and 70% with their storage.

 

It talks about kinda making your own space, you know, 'cause sometimes your room has to serve more than one purpose. Then there’s power naps. If you work from home especially…69% of people work one to four days at home nap versus 60% who never work from home. 65% of people take naps. Thirty-three minutes is the average length of a nap. That’s a good length. 32% of nappers are non-parents and 68% are parents of children under eighteen. Dr. Christian says, yeah, a twenty-minute nap can boost recovery without disrupting sleep, but don’t nap too long. It can cause sleep inertia. So…but right here there’s a quote; even just resting for twenty minutes can be beneficial. There’s no pressure to fall asleep. That could be right out of Sleep With Me.

 

But plus, Scooter’s pasttime, especially that he learned in 2019 and 2020 of just laying…and that if he can get to that relaxed state kinda like I feel a lot of time, just this part of me, you could just lay there and relax and you don’t have to sleep. Okay, what about how you lay in bed? Most common sleep positions for solo sleepers; 39% on your sides with your legs tucked, 29% on your side with your legs out, 18% on your back, and 13% on your stomach. Now, for couples, 44% have no pattern, 29% back to back, 16% cuddling, and 12% face to face, but this says that gives you a higher sleep score. So, that’s interesting. Sleeping as a duo is…sleeping’s traditionally a communal activity. Okay, top ten sleep aids…creating a sleep sanctuary. Air conditioning or fan; 24%.

 

Curtains or blinds, especially ones that keep the light out; 21%. Things you get from your GP; 19%. Music podcasts or audiobooks; 17%. 14%; a book, 13% a mattress or pillow, 11% other things not…that you just buy at a store, 10% aromatherapy or white noise, 7% sleep mask, and 7% bedding with heating or cooling features. Next up is their top ten tips for better sleep. Coming in at number 10; look at the big picture. Aim for consistent and realistic, and don’t be perfect. Coming in at number 9; don’t force it. This could be names of songs. Don’t Force It. Let go of pressure and just relax. Number 8; physical activity during the day. That came in at number 8. Number 7; what are you consuming before bed? Try to think about that. Number 6; don’t look at screens.

 

Oh, a recommendation here; audiobooks or podcasts instead. We didn’t even know that, man. That’s cool. Good habits; enjoy rituals like a hot bath or anything that’ll help signal your brain that it’s bedtime, maybe like a podcast with a lulling intro. Unwind your mind…breathing exercises or meditation. Build a sleep sanctuary; a cozy space, comfortable, dim lighting. Get…that’s number 3. Number 2; get natural light during the day. Number 2…I used to do these videos early in the podcast where I’d give advice, and that was one of my number-one things, open your blinds as soon as you wake up, and then if you can, go sit outside. One; stick to a routine.

 

Regular bedtime and wake times…finally they say, what’s next for sleep? They say, we're just learning. There’s no universal fix, but there’s many everyday changes people can try, and we're committed to sleep. Then it says, god natt. God natt. God natt. That’s…finally I got it. Stayed relaxed, though, the whole time. That’s Swedish for goodnight. So, I’ll say god natt to everybody, and sleep well, from regular Scooter and Relaxed Scooter. Goodnight. Oh, god natt. Thanks.

 

[END OF RECORDING]

(Transcription performed by LeahTranscribes)

Trending Tuesday / Catalog

 

Is multi-tasking effective?

https://appliedpsychologydegree.usc.edu/blog/benefits-of-multitasking

https://www.verywellmind.com/multitasking-2795003

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/multitasking-pros-and-cons

 

Ikea Sleep Report

https://www.ikea.com/global/en/our-business/reports/sleep-report-2025-250210/

https://www.ikea.com/global/en/stories/life-at-home/ikea-sleep-report-2025-250210/

https://www.ikea.com/global/en/newsroom/corporate/ikea-sleep-uncovered-report-250210/

 

Ikea Graphic Design

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ikeas-environmental-graphic-design-crafting-sustainable-axolf/

https://miamiadschool.com/ikea-are-the-masters-of-design-thinking/

https://www.ikea.com/ph/en/this-is-ikea/about-us/the-ikea-logo-history-and-design-pub55d85f50/

 

Noguchi Lamps

https://www.noguchi.org/isamu-noguchi/digital-features/the-history-of-akari-light-sculptures/

https://www.housebeautiful.com/shopping/home-accessories/a26048529/noguchi-lamp/

https://www.noguchi.org/museum/exhibitions/view/akari-sculpture-by-other-means/

 

DOWN TO BUSINESS

I’m so glad you’re here

Just like a TV on in the other room

I think we’ll be reading a sleep report tonight

 

PLUGS

Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline; Referral Program

 

SPONSORS

Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Quince; Odoo

 

INTRO

Having guests

I’ll keep you company and tell you a meandering tale

We do share something about how it feels

Someone out there really does understand how you feel

That podcaster is mostly not bad…

Is middling the right way to describe me?

Middling or adequate?

I talk about something but it’s almost nothing

I’ll look back and say, “What?”

It’s normal to be skeptical or irritated by me

sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou

We probably introduce more people to other sleep podcasts than listen to this one

Nulti-tasking

Is that a prefix?

Somewhat engaging buzzing going on there

Your own personal boreman

Going over a sleep report from Ikea

Explaining the show structure

The importance of the wind down routine

You can’t try to fall asleep

If you have any feedback, reach out

We’re a part of this thing together

 

STORY

Have we ever looked through a paper Ikea catalog?

A 2025 report named “Sleep Uncovered”

It’s a very visual report, so it’s perfect

I’m Super-Relaxed Scoots

I’m super chill, man

Cool, turning it over to SRS

We’ll only be paraphrasing this report

Is there an official Ikea font?

Photos of idealized spaces

Dedicating a report to what you do with one third of your life

Reading through it slowly

Two twins in a bedroom

Matching PJs in beds close to the ground

The time? Bedtime, of course

A sleep quote from Dr. Christian Benedict

Dr. Christian, we could do a parody song about you to the tune of “Sister Christian”

A run through of the chapters

An executive summary

Over 55,000 people discussed their sleep habits

Explaining their methodology

One of the largest sleep surveys ever

Discussing the methodology

A beautiful bed with the whole family sleeping

Top 5 Sleep Loving Places

70% describe sleep as a Great Joy

Most people would rather sleep than go out

Students, parents, and night shift workers view sleep as a joy

I’m happy to be here with you, chilling

Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, and Egypt

Most people want at least 1 more hour of sleep

Mainland China is the only place with an average of more than 7 hours of sleep

Colombia are the earliest risers

0:45 is the latest bedtime (Turkey)

5% of the UK sleep with their pets

Over half of Bulgarians drink coffee first thing in the morning

Another picture behind closed eyes

A couple in a Queen bed

A room-length shelf built into the wall

Cubes in the wall

Is that a fish bowl next to their bed?

Smart move to have another blanket at the head of the bed

Ikea Sleep Score

The 5 Factors of Good Sleep

Sleep Quality, Sleep Duration, Sleep Flow, Drift Off Time, Wake Up State

Why do I keep saying “man”?

I learned it from Cheech and Chong, I guess

Doing a late-night walk in Manhattan

Sleep scores from around the world

Let’s do a countdown

Top 56 sleep scores of 2025, here on RLAX radio

WLAX Radio

Shoutout to Nightwater Radio

Adam at Night Water introduced us to the classic BBC Countdown

#56, Norway – top of our hearts, bottom of our charts

I know Norway mostly from EPCOT

#57 – a three way tie

Oh, it’s a score, not a ranking

Ireland, Sweden, and the USA

Wow, these low scorers are also the top markets for SWM. Huh.

58 – UK, Canada, Australia

(Do English speaking countries have trouble sleeping?)

59 – South Korea, Ukraine, Belgium, Hungary

Scoots almost got to Hungary once

60 – Philippines, Turkey, Japan, and Israel

61 – Jordan, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Chile

62 – Croatia, Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Italy, Spanish Islands, Latvia, Morocco, Taiwan

63 – Singapore, Germany, Malaysia, France, Saudi Arabia, Czechia

64 – Colombia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Spain, Austria, Finland, Poland, Switzerland

65 – Lithuania, Hong Kong, Thailand, Mexico, Bulgaria

66 – Qatar, Estonia, Greece

We skipped 67

68 – UAE and India

The top 4

69 – Kuwait

70 – Egypt

71 – Indonesia

74 – Mainland China

A quote from Sophie Bostock

A lot of high-scoring countries focus on social connectivity and general happiness

A very impressive image

An aspirational college room

More than one circular globe style paper lantern

At least sixteen!

Each lightbulb is set to a different shade

And then an accent reading light

The wall is a magnetic dry erase board

A picture of…the Chrysler building?

Also a chair for relaxing

Identifying Sleep Inequality

Some people have more sleep challenges

People that deal with day challenges are more likely to deal with sleep challenges

Sleep Flow Issues – I identify with that

Thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, as I say

The Sleep-Mind Connection

Hustle Culture and outside opinions of your sleep

Sleep is not indulgent, whatever others say

Work Life Balance means better sleep

This bedroom is not my style, but…

A couple in matching PJs

A vinyl record player for bedtime, great idea

Many layers of fabrics create a kind of tent bed

I need airflow, but this is definitely dark and comforting

A canopy bed suspended from the ceiling???

Helpful Sleep Strategies

Routines, Rituals, and Surroundings

Global average drift-off time is 24 minutes

I think that could be shortened with a wind down routine

I guess intros last about 24 minutes, huh

Screens in he bedroom…

Let’s talk about phone usage in bedrooms

Leave your phone in the other room if you can

72% of people use phones in bed

But China and Indonesia slep well, even with that

82% is the global average of cell phone usage

39% have a TV in the bedroom

Phone use is just about the displacement of sleep

We have to acknowledge this since you listen to SWM on a phone

It’s tough to not use your phone, I’ll admit

I stop using my phone an hour before going to bed, ideally

Exploring the Wind Down

Consistent rituals is helpful

I do a little journaling, meditating, and reading

A couple different readings

Questioning the roll of foam rolling

Some people brush their teeth, drink water, go to the bathroom, read, watch TV, and other things…

Social Jetlag

Weekdays vs Weekends

Our internal clock relies on predictability

81% are satisfied with their bedding

80% with their bed

Power Naps

69% work 1 to 4 days at home

33 minutes is the average length of home

32% of nappers are non-parents

Don’t nap too long

Even just resting without sleeping for 20 minutes can be beneficial

#Laying

Most Common Sleep Positions

Solo Sleepers 

39% on side with legs tucked

Couples

44% no pattern

If you sleep face to face, you tend to get a higher sleep score

Top 10 Sleep Aids

AC/Fan

Curtains / blinds

Medicine

Podcasts – 17%

Book

Mattress

Aromatherapy / White noise

Sleep Mask

Top 10 Tips for Better Sleep

10 – look at the big picture

9 – don’t force it

8 – physical activity during the day

7 – don’t consume before bed

6 – no screens – do podcasts or rituals

Unwind your mind

Build a sleep sanctuary

2 natural light during the day

1 – stick to a regular sleep routine

We’re exploring sleep more and more

Gud Nacht to everybody

 

SUMMARY:

Episode: 1365

Title: Ikea Sleep Report

Plugs: Sleep With Me Plus; SleepPhones; Story Only Feed; Rusty Biscuit Links; Emily Tat Artwork; Crisis Textline; Referral Program

Sponsors: Helix Sleep; Zocdoc; Progressive; Quince; Odoo

Notable Language:

• Middling
• Mostly Adequate
• Nulti-tasking
• Super-Relaxed Scoots
• Maelstrom
• Circular Globe Style Paper Lantern
• The Sleep-Mind Connection
• Social Jetlag
• #Laying
• Gud Nacht 

 

Notable Culture:

• The Hitchhikker’s Guide to the Galaxy

• • sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
  • IKEA
  • “Sister Christian” song
  • Cheech & Chong
  • Night Water / Adam Cecil
  • EPCOT

• Frozen

• The Chrysler building
• “Rainbow Connection”

 

Notable Talking Points:

• Having guests
• I’ll keep you company and tell you a meandering tale
• We do share something about how it feels
• Someone out there really does understand how you feel
• That podcaster is mostly not bad…
• Is middling the right way to describe me?
• Middling or adequate?
• I talk about something but it’s almost nothing
• I’ll look back and say, “What?”
• It’s normal to be skeptical or irritated by me
• sleepwithmepodcast.com/nothankyou
• We probably introduce more people to other sleep podcasts than listen to this one
• Nulti-tasking
• Is that a prefix?
• Somewhat engaging buzzing going on there
• Your own personal boreman
• Going over a sleep report from Ikea
• Explaining the show structure
• The importance of the wind down routine
• You can’t try to fall asleep
• If you have any feedback, reach out
• We’re a part of this thing together
• Have we ever looked through a paper Ikea catalog?
• A 2025 report named “Sleep Uncovered”
• It’s a very visual report, so it’s perfect
• I’m Super-Relaxed Scoots
• I’m super chill, man
• Cool, turning it over to SRS
• We’ll only be paraphrasing this report
• Is there an official Ikea font?
• Photos of idealized spaces
• Dedicating a report to what you do with one third of your life
• Reading through it slowly
• Two twins in a bedroom
• Matching PJs in beds close to the ground
• The time? Bedtime, of course
• A sleep quote from Dr. Christian Benedict
• Dr. Christian, we could do a parody song about you to the tune of “Sister Christian”
• A run through of the chapters
• An executive summary
• Over 55,000 people discussed their sleep habits
• Explaining their methodology
• One of the largest sleep surveys ever
• Discussing the methodology
• A beautiful bed with the whole family sleeping
• Top 5 Sleep Loving Places
• 70% describe sleep as a Great Joy
• Most people would rather sleep than go out
• Students, parents, and night shift workers view sleep as a joy
• I’m happy to be here with you, chilling
• Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, and Egypt
• Most people want at least 1 more hour of sleep
• Mainland China is the only place with an average of more than 7 hours of sleep
• Colombia are the earliest risers
• 0:45 is the latest bedtime (Turkey)
• 5% of the UK sleep with their pets
• Over half of Bulgarians drink coffee first thing in the morning
• Another picture behind closed eyes
• A couple in a Queen bed
• A room-length shelf built into the wall
• Cubes in the wall
• Is that a fish bowl next to their bed?
• Smart move to have another blanket at the head of the bed
• Ikea Sleep Score
• The 5 Factors of Good Sleep
• Sleep Quality, Sleep Duration, Sleep Flow, Drift Off Time, Wake Up State
• Why do I keep saying “man”?
• I learned it from Cheech and Chong, I guess
• Doing a late-night walk in Manhattan
• Sleep scores from around the world
• Let’s do a countdown
• Top 56 sleep scores of 2025, here on RLAX radio
• WLAX Radio
• Shoutout to Nightwater Radio
• Adam at Night Water introduced us to the classic BBC Countdown
• #56, Norway – top of our hearts, bottom of our charts
• I know Norway mostly from EPCOT
• #57 – a three way tie
• Oh, it’s a score, not a ranking
• Ireland, Sweden, and the USA
• Wow, these low scorers are also the top markets for SWM. Huh.
• 58 – UK, Canada, Australia
• (Do English speaking countries have trouble sleeping?)
• 59 – South Korea, Ukraine, Belgium, Hungary
• Scoots almost got to Hungary once
• 60 – Philippines, Turkey, Japan, and Israel
• 61 – Jordan, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Chile
• 62 – Croatia, Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Italy, Spanish Islands, Latvia, Morocco, Taiwan
• 63 – Singapore, Germany, Malaysia, France, Saudi Arabia, Czechia
• 64 – Colombia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Spain, Austria, Finland, Poland, Switzerland
• 65 – Lithuania, Hong Kong, Thailand, Mexico, Bulgaria
• 66 – Qatar, Estonia, Greece
• We skipped 67
• 68 – UAE and India
• The top 4
• 69 – Kuwait
• 70 – Egypt
• 71 – Indonesia
• 74 – Mainland China
• A quote from Sophie Bostock
• A lot of high-scoring countries focus on social connectivity and general happiness
• A very impressive image
• An aspirational college room
• More than one circular globe style paper lantern
• At least sixteen!
• Each lightbulb is set to a different shade
• And then an accent reading light
• The wall is a magnetic dry erase board
• A picture of…the Chrysler building?
• Also a chair for relaxing
• Identifying Sleep Inequality
• Some people have more sleep challenges
• People that deal with day challenges are more likely to deal with sleep challenges
• Sleep Flow Issues – I identify with that
• Thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, as I say
• The Sleep-Mind Connection
• Hustle Culture and outside opinions of your sleep
• Sleep is not indulgent, whatever others say
• Work Life Balance means better sleep
• This bedroom is not my style, but…
• A couple in matching PJs
• A vinyl record player for bedtime, great idea
• Many layers of fabrics create a kind of tent bed
• I need airflow, but this is definitely dark and comforting
• A canopy bed suspended from the ceiling???
• Helpful Sleep Strategies
• Routines, Rituals, and Surroundings
• Global average drift-off time is 24 minutes
• I think that could be shortened with a wind down routine
• I guess intros last about 24 minutes, huh
• Screens in he bedroom…
• Let’s talk about phone usage in bedrooms
• Leave your phone in the other room if you can
• 72% of people use phones in bed
• But China and Indonesia slep well, even with that
• 82% is the global average of cell phone usage
• 39% have a TV in the bedroom
• Phone use is just about the displacement of sleep
• We have to acknowledge this since you listen to SWM on a phone
• It’s tough to not use your phone, I’ll admit
• I stop using my phone an hour before going to bed, ideally
• Exploring the Wind Down
• Consistent rituals is helpful
• I do a little journaling, meditating, and reading
• A couple different readings
• Questioning the roll of foam rolling
• Some people brush their teeth, drink water, go to the bathroom, read, watch TV, and other things…
• Social Jetlag
• Weekdays vs Weekends
• Our internal clock relies on predictability
• 81% are satisfied with their bedding
• 80% with their bed
• Power Naps
• 69% work 1 to 4 days at home
• 33 minutes is the average length of home
• 32% of nappers are non-parents
• Don’t nap too long
• Even just resting without sleeping for 20 minutes can be beneficial
• #Laying
• Most Common Sleep Positions
• Solo Sleepers 
• 39% on side with legs tucked
• Couples
• 44% no pattern
• If you sleep face to face, you tend to get a higher sleep score
• Top 10 Sleep Aids
• AC/Fan
• Curtains / blinds
• Medicine
• Podcasts – 17%
• Book
• Mattress
• Aromatherapy / White noise
• Sleep Mask
• Top 10 Tips for Better Sleep
• 10 – look at the big picture
• 9 – don’t force it
• 8 – physical activity during the day
• 7 – don’t consume before bed
• 6 – no screens – do podcasts or rituals
• Unwind your mind
• Build a sleep sanctuary
• 2 natural light during the day
• 1 – stick to a regular sleep routine
• We’re exploring sleep more and more
• Gud Nacht to everybody