Scientists say this one simple trick could help you fall asleep quick

16 September 2019, 16:40

Scientists reveal the secret to a "deeper, better quality sleep". Picture: Getty

Trouble drifting off? Here's how you can bag yourself an extra 15 minutes sleep every single night.

New research has found that wearing woollen pyjamas at night could be the secret to getting a better night's sleep.

Australian scientists believe the cosy fabric keeps the body in its "thermal comfort zone", regulating its temperate and resulting in a dreamy snooze.

Experts conducting the research tested the theory out on two groups of adults in different age groups.

Wearing wool pyjamas instead of cotton helps you fall asleep more quickly, study finds. Picture: Getty

The study found that students in their 20s who wore merino wool drifted off four minutes faster than those wearing alternative materials to bed.

Non wool-wearers took 15 minutes to reach dreamland, while those wrapped up in natural clothing were zonked out within 11 minutes – and even got an extra seven minutes sleep at the other end.

Those donning wool on the older end of the scale, aged between 65 and 70, snoozed off within 12 minutes, while their counterparts took a huge 22 to 27 minutes to fall asleep.

Experts say wool keeps the body in the "thermal comfort zone" and makes for a better snooze. Picture: Getty

Dr. Paul Swan, a researcher at The University of Sydney, said: "Not so long ago sleeping under wool bedding was the norm, and science is now rediscovering the benefits of sleeping in wool."

"Maybe it is not a coincidence because wool regulates your body temperature far better, keeping you in what is known as ‘the thermal comfort zone’.

"You therefore not only fall asleep quicker, sleep longer, but also have deeper, better quality sleep.

"Enjoying good sleep has become increasingly difficult in modern times, and so anything that helps is great for your mental and physical health."

The experiment, involving 17 students and 36 OAPs, was carried out in Australia's capital and evaluated the time it took its participants to fall asleep over a period of four to nine nights.

So if you're struggling to enter that dreamy zen-like state but follow all the usual rules – eating well, exercising, meditating before bed, getting under clean set of sheets – it might be time to invest in some brand new pyjamas.

Just check the label and make sure they're made from super-cosy wool first.