Brits may have their morning wellness routines down to a T, but when it comes to winding down at the end of the day, new research reveals we’re far less structured – with 4 in 5 (81%) Brits admitting they don’t follow a structured night time routine.
In contrast, 79% of Brits have a regular morning routine or established habits, rising to 85% among Gen Z and young millennials, suggesting that while the morning wellness ritual is firmly established, the evening equivalent is yet to catch up.
But according to the research, commissioned by functional hydration brand punchy, Britain’s evening habits are far less wholesome than its morning rituals, with watching TV, scrolling, checking work emails and drinking alcohol and caffeine all making the top 10 – with younger Brits (aged 18-34) even more glued to their screens pre bedtime
Britain’s top 10 evening wind-down habits
- Watching TV (70%)
- Scrolling on their mobile (47%, rising to 55% among Gen Z and younger millennials)
- Eating chocolate or sugary snacks (28%)
- Drinking alcohol (20%)
- Having tea or coffee (20%)
- Playing video games (18%, rising to 30% among Gen Z and younger millennials)
- Checking work emails or messages (18%
- Making phone calls or sending lengthy texts (16%, rising to 29% among Gen Z and younger millennials)
- Falling asleep on the sofa (16%)
- Eating high-sugar foods or refined carbs (12%)
But while Britain’s bedtime routine might be failing, Gen Z and younger millennials are already putting more money behind their evenings – spending an average £28.54 a month on products and practices to support their nighttime routine, compared with £21.67among Brits overall.
If Gen Z and younger millennials keep that up for a lifetime, it could add up to almost £28,000 – the equivalent of a house deposit.
And some of that money appears to be going on Britain’s eclectic evening drinks menu, with tea (19%), soft drinks, wine (16%each), coffee (13%) and even beer or lager (13%) all feature on the nation’s list of top evening tipples.
It’s clear that caffeine and alcohol are creeping into the hours before bed, with half (50%) of Brits having a hot caffeinated drink within a few hours of going to sleep at least once week, while 49% drink alcohol after 6pm at least weekly, with 7% drinking an alcoholic beverage nearly every night.
Britain’s winter hydration habit is in a drought
As temperatures drop, so does Britain’s water intake: 41% of Brits drink less water in winter than in spring and summer, while almost a third (32%) say they know staying hydrated is important but struggle to keep on top of it during the colder months.
And while 85% know their evening habits can affect how they sleep and feel the next morning, just 15% say they wake up feeling “refreshed and ready to go.”
In other words, Britain’s morning wellness obsession could be missing a trick: feeling better in the morning may start with what we do the night before.
Sophie Gastman, Registered Nutritionist, commented: “Many of us have a well-established morning routine, but give less thought to how we wind down in the evening. We also know that people tend to drink less water during the colder months, so winter is a good time to think about how we can make drinking enough fluids feel easier. That’s what I like about punchy’s Hot Electrolytes – they take the comfort of a familiar warm drink and give it a functional twist, offering a different option for people looking to add variety to their evening routine.”
To support this shift, punchy has launched the UK’s first hot electrolyte sachet: Hot Electrolytes – a caffeine-free, warming take on functional hydration designed to fit into the familiar evening hot drink ritual. Available in Orange Spice and Blackcurrant, Hot Electrolytes combine all six essential electrolytes and minerals with vitamins and real fruit flavour.
Paddy Cavanagh-Butler, Founder of punchy, commented: “We’ve become incredibly good at optimising our mornings – from what we eat and drink to the supplements we take – but the end of the day hasn’t had the same attention. Our research shows there’s a real appetite for better evening rituals, but no clear drink or occasion has quite emerged. That’s where we see an opportunity for punchy with Hot Electrolytes: taking something as familiar as the evening cuppa and giving it a functional upgrade, without losing the comfort and enjoyment that makes the ritual work in the first place.”
Available online at punchydrinks.com now, followed by Boots from 26th October, priced at £9.99 for a 7-pack.
