Scientific tests that measured brain activity report, there is no other noise that is more likely to wake sleeping women, even if though they may or may not be mothers, and that is the sound of a wailing infant.

The study results indicating which sounds most disrupt the usual patterns of brain activity suggests a marked difference in the male and female sex.

According to the study’s findings, a car alarm going off close by, followed by the howling of the wind and a buzzing fly, are the sounds most likely to prevent men from continuing their sleep.

Further, the research commissioned by Lemsip Max All Night Cold & Flu Tablets reveals, the sound of a crying baby does not remotely register amongst the top ten of sounds most likely to prevent males from slumbering on.

Experts at MindLab research laboratory carried out the tests, as part of their research into the importance of getting a good night’s sleep.

For the study, a ‘sleep environment’ was created by MindLab for each of the volunteers, then sounds were played with an EEG, electro-encephalograhy machine measuring how regular brain activity was disturbed by the sounds.

A different study reveals 29% of adults suffer a disturbed sleep 5 to 7-times a week, with a further 27% woken up once or twice at night per week.

Asked what kept them awake, 54% of the women responded it was snoring on the part of their partner, one in ten said it was flatmates that kept them awake, while others said it was having sexual intercourse

According to the Lemsip Max survey, one in three or 33% of both men and women said they had moved to another room, just to get some sleep.

Other sounds that kept both men and women from sleeping well at night were rowdy drunkenness from a pub at closing time, or else late night revellers outside their home.

According to the study, while women are more likely to suffer from disturbed sleep, men find it easier to fall asleep again after being woken up.

Top Ten sounds to wake men are: car alarms, howling winds, buzzing flies, snoring, noisy drains, chirruping crickets, sirens from emergency vehicles, ticking clocks, drilling/workmen and dripping taps.

Top Ten sounds to wake women are: crying babies, dripping taps, rowdiness, snoring, buzzing flies, drilling/workmen, sirens, car alarms, howling winds and noisy drains.