Consumer Survey Reveals What We Need to Know about Sleep and Health

GARDENA, Calif., Dec. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new Consumer Sleep Study released by Sit 'n Sleep, the health of Americans is closely linked with their sleep and mattress, affecting sickness, moods and overall well being. Findings of the online study, conducted by Harris Interactive® between October 29 and November 2, 2009, take on increased importance during this year's cold and flu season, one of the worst in recent history.

Consider this...

• Americans spend over one-third of their lives in bed, further increased during winter months (55 percent of adults said they sleep more during the winter months).
• Well over one-half (58 percent) of adults often feel sick or not rested when they sleep on an old or uncomfortable mattress - the research strongly suggests that Americans should better consider their mattress to help keep their bodily defenses strong.
• A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, showed that those who slept less than an average of seven hours per night were nearly three times more likely to develop a common cold than those who reported eight or more hours per night in the weeks leading up to the experiment.(1)
• The National Sleep Foundation includes ensuring a comfortable and supportive mattress within their top Healthy Sleep Tips for consumers

Women, pay attention! Those zzz's are important (and they affect your love life more than you know)...

• Women place a higher value on sleep. Women more closely link their health to the cozy comforts of their bed, with more women than men (64 percent of women vs. 52 percent of men) agreeing that they often feel sick or not rested when they sleep on an old or uncomfortable mattress.
• Don't blame hormones. Nearly 70 percent of women ages 18-34 said they become mean or unfriendly without a good night's sleep.
• Date a silver fox? They may be nicer. Older men were the less likely than younger men to become mean or unfriendly due to a restless night; only one-quarter (26 percent vs. 52 percent) said they become grouchy without their sleep.

Families: That early bed time isn't just for the wee ones...

• Expanding your brood? Better hit the sack. People with larger households (over five people) were the most likely to say they felt sick or not rested if they slept on an old mattress (69 percent) AND that they were likely to become mean or unfriendly when they didn't get a good night's sleep (62 percent).
• Maybe Jon & Kate just needed some shuteye. Adults who have children in their household were 15 percent more likely than those who do not to think that a good night's sleep would help them get along better with their spouse/significant other (50 percent vs. 35 percent respectively), the study reveals. With children often bringing illnesses home from school and infecting the entire household, it's important that families put sleep at the top of their health to-do lists.

"While many Americans can only dream of getting the recommended eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, it's important to understand that sleep health affects overall well being and quality is as important as quantity," Dr. Peter Fotinakes, Medical Director, Sleep Disorders Center, St. Joseph's Hospital and Diplomate, American Board of Sleep Medicine and Neurology. "It's particularly important during cold and flu season to be getting a restful night of sleep since it helps strengthen the body's immune system. And, in addition to reducing stimulation and other outside factors impacting sleep, I counsel our patients to strongly consider their mattress as a critical factor affecting overall sleep health."

"Studies have linked the importance of sleep to overall health, and now we can illuminate how the comfort of a person's mattress is specifically impacting one's well-being," said Larry Miller, founder, president and CEO of Sit 'n Sleep. "It's with this knowledge that we have evolved our business strategy, helping consumers go from buying a new mattress for the sake of their bed to getting a new mattress for the sake of their health."

Want to sleep better tonight? Sit 'n Sleep can tell you how. For more about this study visit: www.sleepwithlarrymiller.com

About the Survey

The Consumer Sleep Study was commissioned by Sit 'n Sleep, the mattress superstore dedicated to providing a good night's sleep to millions of Southern Californians, to gain a better understanding of consumer sleep habits and how consumers perceive their sleep relative to their overall health. This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Sit 'n Sleep between October 29 and November 2, 2009, interviewing a nationwide sample of 2,392 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. Results were weighted as needed to reflect the composition of the U.S. adult population using targets for region, age within gender, education, household income, and race/ethnicity. All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with non response, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

About Sit 'n Sleep

Sit 'n Sleep is the mattress superstore dedicated to delivering a good night's sleep to millions of Californians. Sit 'n Sleep is focused on helping people find the right mattress for their needs, body type and health--all from the largest selection of mattresses, at the best price, while receiving great service. With 22 superstore locations throughout Southern California, Sit 'n Sleep is an established Southern California brand, operating some of the largest and most successful mattress stores in the nation for over 20 years.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is one of the world's leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in over 215 countries through our North American, European, and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us - and our clients - stay ahead of what's next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

(1) http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20090112/good-nights-sleep-puts-colds-to-bed

SOURCE Sit 'n Sleep

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RELATED LINKS
http://www.sleepwithlarrymiller.com/
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/