It is estimated that a quarter of the UK population suffer sleeping difficulties and over 10 million prescriptions for sleeping pills were issued in Britain last year alone. A major new BBC One series, Goodnight Britain, produced by Wall to Wall gets to grips with this national crisis, travelling the length of the country to meet and cure some of the nation’s worst sleepers, while exposing extraordinary behaviour that lurks behind Britain’s bedroom curtains.
From parasomniacs who scream the house down and snorers whose trumpeting rattles the window-panes, to insomniacs who bake six hours a night, Goodnight Britain lays bare the strange and hidden secrets of our nation’s night-time world.
In this two-part series presented by Sian Williams, Goodnight Britain’s sleep experts - Dr Kirstie Anderson and Dr Jason Ellis - will venture into the bedrooms of five of Britain’s most tormented sleepers, discovering a range of conditions including extreme snoring, insomnia and night terrors.
Through the use of high-tech night vision cameras, the sleep experts observe the secrets of the patient’s sleep problems first hand. But the investigations don’t stop there: the five contributors are also subjected to a night at the Goodnight Britain Sleep House, where every toss, turn and snuffle is monitored using state of the art equipment whilst they sleep. Only then do the causes of their night-time traumas fully come to light and our experts can begin to devise a treatment plan that just might work.
Sian Williams said: “I can certainly relate to the problems that come with getting less sleep or having an unusual sleep pattern. Goodnight Britain will be a great opportunity for viewers to find out how to get a better night’s sleep!”
Kim Shillinglaw, Commissioning Editor, said: “Goodnight Britain will provide expert advice and practical solutions to real-life participants, helping them to address their sleeping problems and, hopefully, dramatically improve their lives.”
