What price would you pay for a year of perfect sleep? Well, one in four people would break out the clippers and shave their heads, according to a new survey.
A quarter of people say they would exclusively eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch – and another 22% said they’d only shower once a week if it meant they could have 365 nights of blissful rest.
The survey, which was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of sleep supplement brand ZzzQuil, asked 2,000 Americans what makes for a good night’s sleep and how far they’d be willing to go to get it.
The results found that the average person would pay $307.11 for a single perfect night’s sleep. A quarter of people say they would exclusively eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch; and another 22% said they’d only shower once a week.
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17% of participants would apparently be happy to stub their toe every morning when they woke up. 14% say they would go to jail for a week.
Some people say they would be willing to cut out alcohol (34%), reality TV (33%) and sports (26%), all in the name of catching shut-eye. About one in four would even give up social media or coffee.
Some of the less popular sacrifices include 24% of people reporting they would give up chocolate and 18% would live without a cell phone.
WHAT PEOPLE WOULD GIVE UP FOR A YEAR OF PERFECT SLEEP
Alcohol – 34%
Reality TV – 33%
Sports – 26%
Social media – 26%
Coffee – 25%
Eating out – 24%
Chocolate – 24%
Vacation – 22%
Makeup – 21%
New clothes – 21%
Hair removal – 18%
Cellphone – 18%
None of these results are particularly surprising since Americans say “I’m tired” a whopping 303 times a year on average.
Furthermore, the average American only gets 6.41 hours of sleep a night and wakes up tired 120 times a year — that’s 9,600 in a lifetime.
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Falling asleep can be a struggle to begin with, seeing as two in five can’t stop tossing and turning. About one in three wake themselves up from snoring while others cannot stay asleep (37%) – or they battle restless legs syndrome (24%).
With all this worry surrounding sleep, the survey also suggested that people are trying to shop their way to a restful evening; one in five participants spent money trying meditation, eye masks or essential oils, while others tested aromatherapy lotions (15%), weighted blankets (15%), white noise machines (16%), podcasts (14%) and salt lamps (12%).
“Studies have shown that up to three in 10 Americans get less than six hours a sleep per night,” said a spokesperson for ZzzQuil.
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“That can be a real problem since sleeping less than seven hours a night can contribute to health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and lead to poor performance at work and unsafe driving … A great night of sleep is definitely a core pillar to overall health.”
Survey participants say that they have continued to shell out the big bucks by purchasing an entirely new mattress (28%) in the hope of sleeping soundly through the night.
COMMON SLEEP STRUGGLES
Tossing/turning – 42%
Cannot fall asleep – 40%
Cannot stay asleep – 37%
Snoring – 27%
Restless legs syndrome – 24%
Teeth grinding – 19%
Night terrors – 17%
Sleep apnea – 16%
Sleep walking – 14%
REM sleep behavior disorder – 11%
However, a comfy bed isn’t all that’s needed to create the ideal dreamy sleepscape. Half of Americans require a cool air temperature to get rest. Additionally, complete silence (39%), darkness (38%), and extra blankets (26%) made into the top five list of things people need to sleep well.
PEOPLE HAVE PURCHASED TO GET A BETTER SLEEP
Sleep supplements (melatonin, Valerian root, etc.) – 31%
New mattress – 28%
Blackout curtains – 26%
Prescription sleep medication (Ambien, Lunesta, etc.) – 25%
Over the counter sleep aids (ZzzQuil, Unisom, etc.) – 23%
Meditation – 22%
Eye mask – 21%
Essential oils and/or oil diffusers – 20%
Sleep/mindfulness apps – 19%
White noise machine – 16%
Aromatherapy lotions – 15%
Weighted blankets – 15%
Podcasts – 14%
Face creams/masks – 13%
Salt lamp – 12%
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