Sex drives are being swapped for hard drives as a quarter of British couples admit to sleeping separately on a regular basis.

According to the results of a survey by The Sleep Council for National Bed Month (March), the British bed is in danger of becoming more of a communications hub than a place for sleep as eight out of 10 people boot up a variety of hi-tech gadgets before bedtime.

The survey, to discover how The Great British Bedtime is changing, found a glass of water and separate beds are replacing cocoa and cuddles at bedtime.

After cleaning their teeth with an electric toothbrush and setting the alarm on their Blackberry or mobile (22%), the average adult slips, exhausted, into bed between 10 and 11pm. 40% rarely or sometimes go to bed at the same time as their partner while one in four couples admit to always or regularly sleeping separately.

The bed itself is now more likely to be a bedstead (40%) than a divan (39%) with mattresses featuring such luxuries or modern innovations as pocket springs (30%) memory foam (11%), no-turn (10%) and anti-allergy options (6%). And before people lie down, charging up electrical appliances (22%) has definitely taken over from prayers (10%) as part of our bedtime routine.

“Busy night time routines are driving couples’ bedtimes and even their bedrooms apart,” says Jessica Alexander of The Sleep Council, “Nine per cent of those questioned admitted to always sleeping separately from their partner.”

Hardly surprising when you discover what people do in bed. One in three of us makes phone calls and sends or receives text or emails in bed. A further one in five keeps busy checking up on social networking sites such as Facebook, playing a computer game or listening to MP3 players.

Whether separately or together, bedtime for many (40%) on workday nights is between 10 and 11pm although for one in eight shattered souls 9pm is nearer the mark. 25 – 34-year-olds are the most likely to fall into this category. 56% of that age group describe themselves as usually very tired or shattered when they go to bed.

It may explain why that age group, more than any other (38% as opposed to the average 32%) is most likely to own a bed less than five years old. “If people aren’t taking any notice of advice to keep the bedroom as a sanctuary of quiet and rest, then they at least understand that a decent, regularly replaced bed equals a decent night’s sleep,” said Jessica.

Advice on what NOT to drink at bedtime often goes unheeded too. While water – tap, bottled or sparkling – is the single most popular drink among a third of those questioned, many others admitted to taking coffee (9%), alcohol (9%) or sugary drinks to bed. Traditional hot chocolate and milky drinks remain popular but another sign of the times is the emergence of smoothies and fresh juices as nightcaps.

Said Jessica: “Our survey results provide a pretty accurate snapshot of our lives today. It also shows more than half of us (52%) regularly feel so tired at work that we would like to go home, with one in eight people feeling that way three or four times a week.”

But some things about The Great British Bedtime don’t change: the eponymous British ‘Jim Jams’ remain the most popular bedtime apparel with women (37%) outnumbering men (21%) in wearing them. Men are almost twice as likely as women (40% as opposed to 22%) to wear nothing at all. And a minority 1% of men questioned claim to wear a nightie!

The Great British Bedtime survey was conducted online by tickbox.net between February 27 and March 3 2008. 1,408 people took part.

For further advice on buying a new bed, visit The Sleep Council’s web site at www.sleepcouncil.com where you can download or request a copy of the Bed Buyers Guide which will tell you much more about how to choose the best bed. You can also work out your own individual bed profile using the interactive My Bed Profile feature. The Bed Buyers Guide can also be requested by phone on 0800 018 7923.