We’ve all heard that picking up a book instead of our phones before dozing off is probably a lot better for our sleep. Does that mean we always do it? No comment.
But what about if you were getting paid £1,000 to swap your screen for a novel? Well, as part of a two-month long experiment, a company called, er, Get Laid Beds is offering the opportunity to do just that.
In an effort to work out how reading impacts sleep quality, the bed company is looking for someone to read a book for 30 minutes before bed each night for a month. This would then be compared with the following month, when they wouldn’t read at all.
The successful applicant will be provided with a sleep-tracking device which will help determine whether reading has a positive or negative effect on their sleep. You would also receive a monthly book allowance and be asked to complete a form at the end of the experiment detailing your experience.
Dr Daisy Sharer, a sleep expert, said: ‘There is a widely held belief that switching off screens and picking up a book as we wind down before bed has a significant impact on our ability to sleep.
‘This experiment wants to go slightly further to assess exactly how long someone should read before bed, what they should read, as well as directly comparing what happens if we choose to do the opposite and not read at all before bed.
‘The resulting data should give us a good indication of what measures, when it comes to reading, people should take if they struggle to get consistently good sleep at night.’
To apply for the rather cushy gig, you must be 18 or over and eligible to work in the UK. You also have to answer a few questions which include what your three favourite books are, your favourite book growing up and what your current reading habits are.
You can apply to take part in the experiment here. Applications close on March 10.
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