According to recent research on Britain’s bedtime habits, Mancunians are apparently the most sleep deprived anywhere in the country this month.
Carried out by botanical experts Cannabotech, who used YouGov survey results and search data on the nations sleeping patterns and nighttime habits from the last five years, they found that not only is January the hardest time of year to get a good night’s rest, but Mancs are seemingly the worst suffering.
Pulling data for Google Keywords Explorer and Google Trends, researchers found that Greater Manchester reported the highest influx of sleep-related search terms per capita at the start of the year.
“Absolutely knackered” is a pretty standard response whenever you ask how your co-workers are doing on Monday morning but, come to think of it, feeling almost permanently tired does feel very ‘January’.
As mentioned, it’s not just this January either, (I mean, we’re only a fortnight into 2023): half a decade’s worth of sleep-deprived search data and adjacent survey results show that at leasttwo in five Mancunians don’t get enough sleepinthe first month of the year.
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When it comes to troubleshooting why you’re struggling to nod off, our lot rank among the highestfor searching things like ‘insomnia’, ‘sleep music’ and ‘sleeping pills’ — all of which are at their highest at the start of the year.
The NHS recommends that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night, but according to the data, just over half (56%) of the population manage to enjoy that amount in January.
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This leaves two-fifths (44%) of people in the region not getting enough rest at the start of the year, which the NHS says can lead to various short and long-term health problems, including increased stress, memory issues and a weak immune system.
What about the rest of the UK’s sleep stats?
Post-Christmas fatigue no doubt plays a part in the sleep struggles but as for why us Mancs are the worst affected, who knows? For now, let’s just chalk it up to solid graft.
As for the rest of Britain, Lancaster and East Kilbride are some of the better sleepers, reporting the lowest search volume of search terms relating to sleeping issues per-capita. Conversely, here are the top 10 most sleep deprived places across the nation:
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Manchester
Bristol
Reading
Liverpool
Birmingham
Preston
Newcastle upon Tyne
Nottingham
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Approximately 1% of the UK’s adult population (roughly 528,889 people) get just one hour of sleep per night in January. Now that’s a grim thought.
Google’s data shows that lots of Brits aren’t happy with their sleep throughout the year; wider search queries include ‘insomnia’, ‘why can’t I sleep’, ‘sleep music’, ‘sleep remedies’ and ‘sleeping pills’ — all of which peak in January.
How to beat the January blues and sleep better
So how can people try and get more shut-eye? Well, while you may know a lot of this already, Cannobotech recommends the following:
Support your immune system
In winter as colds circulate, it’s important to strengthen your immune system in order to limit sleep disruption. Stay hydrated, eat plenty of Vitamin C-rich fruits and veggies, and although it’s tempting to stay inside when it’s cold, physical exercise is important — you can always get a workout in at home.
Maintain a set schedule
Those drawn-out dark evenings can make it hard to switch off. Regardless, try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time all year, as this will make it easier for your body to recognise when it’s time for bed. You can also invest in natural light bulbs and other forms of light therapy to make the transition easier.
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Keep stress levels low
Keeping stress levels low before bed will improve your sleep quality massively. Ways to do this include avoiding screens and winding down at least an hour before your planned bedtime, as well as setting time aside to journal or get any worries or concerns you have off your chest so they don’t keep you up.
Sleep deprivation isn’t just a pain in the arse, it can turn into a genuine health risk and lead to further problems down the line, so let’s make 2023 a better year for sleep.
If you’re struggling to get your head down, be sure to take these tips on board and we hope you get some proper kip soon.
Flashbacks: The timelapse of the Trafford Centre construction that’s gone viral
Danny Jones
The Trafford Centre might look like some decadent Roman emperor’s palace or as if it was plucked from the heart of Ancient Grecian city, but as anyone old enough to remember it’s opening and/or construction will tell you, it seems strange to think its not even been around for three decades yet.
As Greater Manchester’s and one of the North West’s most famous shopping centres full stop, the iconic attraction first began being built back in 1996, when John Major was Prime Minister, Manchester United were still Premier League champions, Britpop was at its peak and George Michael was number one.
It’s fair to say that a lot has changed since then and although Oasis might be back come 2025, The Trafford Centre and surrounding area are pretty unrecgonisable compared to nearly 30 years ago.
All told, it took approximately 27 months to erect the neo-classical epicentre of all things shopping, leisure, food and fanciness – and here’s what the process looked like:
With the initial 14 million sq ft shopping centre being completed in September 1998 following approximately 810 days of work, The Trafford Centre debuted to the Manc public and beyond.
It took more than 3,000 builders to bring the 60 hectare site to life at the peak of construction and since then the plot has only grown bigger, bolder and more ambitious over time.
Present day, it has everything from cinema screens and a mini Legoland to a Sea Life location, multiple bowling alleys and countless other forms of entertainment beyond just rows of shops and restaurants – hence why it remains busy pretty much year-round.
Back then, British celebrities, popular local names of note, politicians, dignitaries and prominent figures from the retail industry got to visit as part of exclusive preview events in the days before its launch date.
You can see the spectacle and fascination surrounding the official opening event here:
Seems surreal watching this today but the construction of the Trafford Centre was a huge moment not just for 0161 but all of the North.
But of course, the entire complex itself has seen multiple extensions over the years, including massive developments such as Barton Square and The Great Hall.
At the outset, it cost more than £600 million to build The Trafford Centre; the major renovations mentioned above which took place in 2008 cost another £100m and the Trafford Palazzo revamp around a decade later came in at around £75m.
There has and always will be lots of money put behind this intruguing monument to modern consumerism, and big brands will continue to flock to open units within the huge expanse whenever they can: some of the most recent being Archie’s, Flying Tiger, Sephora, Tiffany, Gymshark and more.
We’ll admit the aesthetic still makes us double-take from time to time (though not as much as confused Londoners visiting for the first time), but it’s not like this part of the world hasn’t boasted plenty of other curiosities in the past…
Featured Images — Charles Bowring (via Wikimedia Commons)/The Manc Group
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‘Nothing is eternal’: Is Pep Guardiola hinting at the end of Manchester City’s supremacy?
Danny Jones
Pep Guardiola looks to have suggested that more than a decade of Manchester City’s supremacy and Premier League dominance at the very least might be coming to an end.
Speaking in his post-match press interviews after City were knocked out of the Champions League by serial European Cup winners Real Madrid, Guardiola cut a somewhat more deflated figure than usual following the 3-1 defeat.
A Kylian Mbappe hattrick which was closed out within an hour of play was enough to stretch the aggregate score to 6-3 over the two legs and Madrid doubling their lead across the tie proved yet again why, not unlike City domestically over the last decade, they’re the kings of the continental competition.
In contrast, however, Pep seemed to accept the loss much more easily than perhaps we’ve seen in the past and rather than appearing familiarly frustrated or defiant in the press conference; instead, he seemed rather reflective, responding to one reporter: “Nothing is eternal”.
🗣️ "Nothing is eternal" – Pep Guardiola.
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Insisting that they have to decide whether a significant rebuild is needed to keep competing at the very top level consistently as they have done since the 54-year-old arrived back in 2016, he argued that it is only with that they’ll be able to determine what comes next.
As for the result itself, he made no bones about Carlo Ancelotti’s side having “deserved it”, stating simply that “the best team won” and that fans and players alike have to “accept the reality: they were better.”
Having been a familiar foe for Pep long before he arrived in Manchester, both at Barcelona and Bayern Munich – not to mention City having faced Los Blancos a dozen times before Tuesday night since 2012 – there have been less surprising outcomes for supporters to come to terms with.
“With time, the club and everyone is going to accept what it is but for now we have 30/40 games for the Premier League next season to try and be here [in the Champions League] and to improve. Nothing is eternal”, said the Catalan coaching genius.
On the other hand, he also went on to add that it was merely a reflection on the night itself and not what his team have achieved in recent years.
He went on to remark that “when we were playing outstanding it hurt more” to be knocked out of the UCL when he felt they deserved to stay in it, but still insisted: “We have been unbelievable and we have to try step by step to get better from today.” Tonight just wasn’t the night.
Who knows? Perhaps it was just some more melodrama from a manager with an undeniable flare for pageantry and playing into/in the face of narratives when he doesn’t come out on top – which hasn’t happened all that often until their dip in form this season.
Plus, there’s certainly still plenty for him and the fans to be positive about; not only has the arrival of their ‘Egyptian Prince’ and the media’s Mo Salah successor, Omar Marmoush, got plenty of people excited – especially after that first-half hattrick against Newcastle – but so too have the other January signings.
In fact, for all of his downplaying in this particular presser (which you can hear in full HERE), it felt like there were only upsides after their victory over Newcastle, even going so far as to dub new signing Nico Gonzalez a ‘mini-Rodri‘.
You can watch the highlights from the game down below:
Pep is right, nothing is eternal – but sometimes you just come up against talents like Mbappe and there’s very little anyone can do about it.
Danny Jones -
13th January 2023 
