Interim results* from a national sleep survey conducted by bed manufacturer Sealy and CQUniversity looking into the nation's sleep habits have revealed that the vast majority of Australians (97%) wake up tired from their sleep, while just 3% said they feel refreshed.

The majority of Aussies also said that they felt tired throughout the day due to poor sleep (95%) with only 5% stating that they never feel tired.

"Considering how important sleep is and how much time we spend in bed, these results indicate that the majority of us are not sleeping that well," says Sealy's sleep expert Ross Gage.

"With only a month to go before the survey ends, it's key that people have their say now in the Sealy Sleep Census, so we can build an accurate picture of Australian sleep wellness.  Their effort and time will be rewarded with a chance to win a top of the line Sealy Posturepedic - hopefully helping them to sleep better." 

While the majority of respondents recognize that eight hours is the recommended amount of sleep you need to perform at your best, many of us (65%) wake up during the night due to some kind of disturbance.

External noise is a key reason for sleep interruptions, with noisy neighbors and animals, traffic and rain all being listed as causes of disturbance during the night.  A proportion (35%) of the respondents also said they are woken up during the night by their partner, from snoring, going to the bathroom or answering phone calls or emails.

While 26% of respondents said they have called in sick due to lack of sleep, 59% have admitted to their work productivity being affected due to feeling tired, and 19% of respondents said they have fallen asleep at work or during a work meeting.

It's not all bad news, though.  The Census has also unearthed some interesting facts around sleep that may change the way we look at what we do in bed.  For instance:

• - 55% of Australians choose to sleep with a fitted sheet, top sheet and doona combination
• - The most popular activities in bed (aside from sleep and intimacy) are reading (33%), watching TV (19%), organising or folding clothing (18%) and using the computer (12%)
• - 16% of respondents require some help with falling asleep, whether it be via taking supplements or prescribed medication
• - 98% of respondents use some form of technology whilst in bed. Whether it be tv, radio, computer, phones or video consoles
• - 30% of respondents admitted to talking in their sleep, but only 4% said they have been known to sleep walk

The Sealy Sleep Census is open until March 16 and can be completed by going to http://www.sealysleepcensus.com.au/. All completed entries will go into the draw to win a top of the range Sealy Posturepedic Queen size ensemble valued at $5499.

The full Census report is due for publication in early April, with more fascinating findings to be revealed.

* These results are interim findings based on an initial 3000 respondents. The on-going nationally-focused ‘Sealy Sleep Census' is aimed at comprehensively painting a picture of exactly how well Australians are sleeping, sleep habits or rituals, factors affecting sleep and what impact environmental factors are having on our collective sleep wellness.  It is set to be one of the most in-depth studies of its kind undertaken in Australia.