Snooze vs kip: Sleep brand reveals how Brits talk about their slumber

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Forget the ‘bap’ vs ‘bun’ debate, sleep experts at Silentnight have revealed that Brits are divided over what to call falling asleep.

Research of 2,000 UK adults found that almost a third (29%) of the British public use ‘snooze’ to talk about drifting off and nearly a quarter (22%) would go for a ‘kip’. Meanwhile, nearly a fifth of all Brits would use the terms ‘doze’ (19%) or ‘shut eye’ (18%) to refer to sleep.

The word ‘kip’ was most popular among Northerners, with more than half (53%) admitting they use the term, while ‘doze’ was significantly more popular in Northern Ireland (31%) than the rest of the UK.

Scots (33%) and the Northern Irish (44%) were also most likely to use the term ‘jammies’ in reference to their sleepwear.

Londoners were most likely to ‘crash’ (24%) in their ‘jams’ (8%), while ‘catch forty winks’ would be most commonly heard in the Midlands (24%).

People in Wales and the South West were the biggest fans of the term ‘jim jams’, used by a quarter of people in both regions, while ‘jamas’ was most common in Yorkshire (17%).

The research, which was commissioned by the UK’s most trusted sleep brand, Silentnight, to delve into the quirky side of sleep, also revealed interesting generational differences when it comes to the slang terms for sleep.

Boomers are most likely to ‘turn in’ in the evening (16%), while Gen Z opt for more playful terms such as ‘crash’ (22%), ‘beddy-byes’ (12%) and ‘catch some Zs’ (13%).

And while more than a third (35%) of all Brits would say they wear their ‘PJs’ to bed, only a fifth (20%) of those over the age of 65 were fans of the term.

The research also found that women were much more likely than men to use slang terms for their nightwear, with a fifth of all UK women using the word ‘jammies’ compared to just 12% of men.

The research formed part of Silentnight’s annual How Great Britain Sleeps report, which explored Brits’ bedtime habits and the long-term impact of poor sleep.

Jason Mcilvenny, Head of Brand & Consumer Insight at Silentnight, said: “We know that sleep is personal – from the perfect temperature to the firmness of your mattress – so it’s no surprise that we all have our own ways to speak about it too!

“We hope our findings spark some healthy debate among families, friends and colleagues to get people talking about sleep. No matter whether you’re a dozer or a snoozer, getting a good night’s sleep is essential for our overall health and well-being.”

For further sleep insights and advice, read the full How Great Britain Sleeps Report here.