According to the March 2026 study on sleeping habits, Brighton residents stay up the latest in the UK. With most Brits sleeping under the recommended 7-9 hours, a new study by Babestation looked at where people stay up so late and how rest time is influenced by nightlife, insomnia, and night shifts.
- Over 40% of workers in Brighton work night shifts, and those who work standard 9-5 still sleep less than the recommended norm.
- Londoners are the most sleep-deprived UK residents, resting for only 5h 53 min a night.
- Liverpool has the most lively nightlife, with the highest density of nightclubs and bars.
The study examined the 30 biggest UK cities, comparing their nightlife infrastructure, nightshifts, and sleeping habits. For late-night activities, the density of nightclubs and bars was considered, their closing time, as well as how often residents look for after-dark entertainment online. The ratio between nighttime workers and regular employees reflects how much of the population has to adjust their schedules, and the average sleep duration shows the overall quality of rest. These factors highlighted the urban centres that have the most active late-night economies and cultures.
Here’s a breakdown of the UK cities that stay up the latest:
| City | Number of nightclubs & bars in the city per 100 km² | Typical nightclub closing time | Late-night entertainment-related searches per 100k ppl | Average sleep duration per night | Number of night-time workers per 100k employees | Nighttime Activity Score |
| Brighton | 147 | 3am – 5am | 10.9K | 6h 41m | 40.3K | 99 |
| London | 94 | 3am – 6am+ | 15K | 5h 53m | 11.4K | 98 |
| Liverpool | 195 | 3am – 4am | 5.7K | 6h 27m | 43.2K | 92 |
| Bath | 169 | 2am – 3am | 17.1K | 6h 19 m | 38.3K | 88 |
| Edinburgh | 69 | 3am – 4am | 26.1K | 6h 37m | 34.5K | 87 |
| Nottingham | 163 | 2am – 4am | 2.2K | 6h 21m | 41K | 75 |
| Manchester | 179 | 3am – 4am | 4.1K | 7h 08m | 37.7K | 73 |
| Newcastle | 124 | 3am – 4am | 5.7K | 6h 27m | 43.5K | 72 |
| Portsmouth | 150 | 2am – 3am | 8K | 6h 38m | 44.5K | 67 |
| Bristol | 125 | 3am – 4am | 7.9K | 7h 00m | 36.8K | 66 |
You can see how other UK cities rank by following this link.
Brighton
- Nightclubs and bars density: 147 per 100km²
- Typical closing time: 3 am – 5 am
- Late-night entertainment searches: 10.9K per 100K people
- Average sleep duration: 6h 41 min per night
- Nighttime workers: 40.3K per 100K
- Nightime Activity Score: 99/100
Brighton residents stay up the latest in the UK, with 4 in 10 working nightshifts. The entertainment industry here is also one of the most active in the country, and 122 nightclubs and bars in the city stay open until 3-5 am. From all these factors, Brightonians sleep less than recommended, with night rest averaging 6 hours and 41 minutes
London
London ranks very close behind Brighton, with the shortest sleep time in the UK, at 5 hours and 53 minutes, over an hour less than the recommended norm. The city predictably has the most bars and clubs, but the actual density of night entertainment is lower than in most cities in the top 10, with only 94 establishments per 100 km². The night fun also lasts till the sunrise, with many bars closing at 6 am.
Liverpool
Liverpool earns the third spot, with the most dense nighttime entertainment in the country. It also has the second-most bars and nightclubs, with 218 establishments. Even more people here have to work night shifts, with 43.2%, and regular 9-5 employees average 6h 27 min of rest.
Bath
Bath residents average less sleep than those in Brighton and Liverpool, and the nightlife plays a huge part. The city shows the second-largest interest in after-dark entertainment on the list, and 18K people search for places to go online. The nightlife infrastructure here is a little modest compared to bigger cities, but Bath still offers 49 places to dance and to drink.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh has over 180 bars and nightclubs, but residents are still looking for more options. Over a quarter of residents (26.1 per 100) try to find more nighttime entertainment online each month, but they manage their sleep schedules better than people in Bath and rest 18 minutes more on average.
A spokesperson for Babestation commented:
“Brighton’s figures reflect just how much of a city’s economy operates around the clock. Hospitals, hotels, logistics, and hospitality all run through the night — and in cities like Brighton, that 24-hour rhythm shapes everything from when people eat to when they sleep. What’s striking is that even residents who work standard hours end up absorbing the city’s late-night energy, cutting their sleep short as a result.”