Most of us probably feel like we could usually get at least another hour of sleep each day. I definitely try to eke out as many minutes of shut eye as I can each morning. Me and that snooze button have a love/hate relationship.
But what would you give up for a good night’s sleep? If you could finally feel rested and rejuvenated and ready to start your day without yawning through it?
What would you give up for a good night’s sleep?
Apparently, most people are willing to give up quite a bit.
According to a survey from Sleep Cycle, a best-selling alarm clock app, Americans would give up sex, chocolate, and social media among many other things in exchange for a good night’s rest.
Now that’s saying something.
We are beginning to realize the importance of sleep and the direct impact it has on our health, mental clarity, and our general ability to function properly throughout the day, as well as the long term effects on our health and well-being. As a result, we are searching for, and willing to try, almost anything to get the consistent sleep our minds and bodies crave.
Of those surveyed, social media was first on the chopping block: 27% would give up social media for a proper night’s rest. Following social media, 21% would give up chocolate, 13% would give up their streaming and cable services, 11% would give up sex, 10% would abandon their fitness routine, and more than half of Americans would give up their favorite food if they discovered it made them sleep poorly.
And for those who feel in a bit of a more desperate scenario, 8% of Americans said they would be willing to quit their job, 7% said they would give up their spouse, another 7% said they’d abandon their pet, and 5% said they would give up their kids.
I mean… okay… but there’s definitely a better solution out there.
All in all, the survey showed that 73% of Americans (almost three-quarters) would be willing to give up something for a decent night’s sleep.
“Our data shows that Americans really value their sleep and are willing to make extreme sacrifices for a good night’s rest,” said Carl Johan Hederoth, CEO Northcube, the creators of Sleep Cycle.
Americans are not taking the sleep issue lying down (ah yes, the irony). The survey showed that many are willing to try and experiment with different bedtime rituals to finally find that perfect 8-hour sleep sweet spot.
The survey data revealed that people are exploring and trending towards more natural and healthier routes such as turning to teas and more natural sleep aids:
- Tea — 21%
- Melatonin — 15%
- Marijuana — 14%
- Milk and cookies — 14%
- Nyquil or Tylenol PM — 12%
- Bananas — 12%
- Soup — 11%
- Alcohol — 10%
- Ice cream — 10%
- Ambien, Xanax or other sleeping pills — 9%
In addition to food and drink supplements, Americans are also performing nighttime routines to help with sleep:
- Sleeping with a fan or white noise machine — 28%
- Taking a hot bath or shower before bed — 26%
- Reading a relaxing book — 21%
- 1 in 10 put away their phone and computer an hour before bed
Hopefully, your situation isn’t so dire so as you’d kick little fluffy Fido out on the street, but this survey certainly stresses the fact that we will protect our sleep and are willing to try most anything to grab a few extra quality ZZZs.
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