Food, Family, Football...and Naps!

New York, NY - Americans across the country are preparing to embrace the iconic symbols of Thanksgiving this coming weekend - turkey, stuffing, family, football and shopping. But according to a new Ipsos Public Affairs poll conducted on behalf of sleepbetter.org, the festivities appear to be tiring for many, as six in ten (56%) say that when gathered with friends and family for Thanksgiving, it is typical for someone to nod off. In fact, three in ten (28%) admit that they typically take a nap on Thanksgiving day, with 8% slumbering for over an hour.

While the vast majority (74%) of Americans most look forward to spending time with family on Thanksgiving, one in ten (11%) most look forward to the food. Interestingly, while Thanksgiving and football have for the last few decades gone hand in hand, more Americans most look forward to the sleep or rest (8%) they'll get on this holiday than the entertainment or football (3%) or even the shopping (3%).

Two in ten (19%) Americans say they sleep better over Thanksgiving weekend than normal. While most (86%) Thanksgiving hosts say they have comfortable pillows or bedding in their home for their guests, one quarter (24%) say they bring bedding or pillows with them when they travel. Moreover, one in ten (9%) travelers have had to book a hotel because their friend's or relative's beds were uncomfortable.

Despite efforts on both ends, some (7%) sleep worse over Thanksgiving, citing family stress (26%), overeating (17%) traveling stress (13%) or shopping (10%) as the reason why they sleep worse than normal.

The day after Thanksgiving is often referred to as Black Friday, when many stores have sales early in the morning to encourage shopping. Three in ten (30%) Americans--which represents approximately 80 million adult Americans--say they will shop on Black Friday, many of whom will rise very early in the morning. Among those who will shop, 12% will rise before 4am, while 16% will rise between 4am and 5am, 14% between 5am and 6am, 12% between 6am and 7am, 13% between 7am and 8am, and 34% after 8am.

Interestingly, those who shop on Black Friday are more likely (12%) than those who don't (4%) to say they sleep worse over the Thanksgiving weekend. Further, those who shop on Black Friday are twice as likely (41%) than those who don't (22%) to take a nap on Thanksgiving day.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted November 5 to 9, 2009. For the survey, a nationally representative sample of 1,001 randomly-selected adults was interviewed by telephone via Ipsos' U.S. Telephone Express omnibus. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within 1773.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire population of adults in the U.S. been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/gender composition reflects that of the actual U.S. population according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

To Nap or Not To Nap...

Three in ten (28%) Americans say they typically have a nap on Thanksgiving day. However, some are more likely to take a nap than others:

• Men (32%) are more likely than women (25%) to take a nap on Thanksgiving day.
• Those aged 18-34 are much more likely (38%) than those aged 35 to 54 (25%) or 55+ (23%) to take a nap on Thanksgiving day.
• African Americans (41%) and Hispanics (32%) are more likely than white (25%) Americans to nap on Thanksgiving. However, white Americans are most likely (61%) to say that someone they're with tends to nod off on Thanksgiving day.

Catching Some ZZZs...

Two in ten (19%) Americans say they actually sleep better than normal over the Thanksgiving weekend. But not all sleep quite as well.

• Men (22%) are more likely than women (16%) to say they sleep better over Thanksgiving weekend.
• Younger Americans (27%) are more likely than middle-aged (21%) or older Americans (10%) to say they sleep better over the long weekend.
• Black Americans (30%) are most likely to say they sleep better, while Hispanics (20%) and white Americans (18%) are less likely.

Bringing Your Own Bed...

One quarter (24%) of Americans bring their own pillow or other bedding with them when they travel for Thanksgiving or the Holidays. But certain demographics are more likely to do this than others:

• Women (30%) are more likely than men (19%) to bring their own pillow or bedding.
• Younger (28%) and middle-aged (26%) Americans are more likely than older Americans (19%) to bring their own bedding or pillow.
• Those living in the South (31%) and West (26%) are significantly more likely than those living in the Midwest (19%) or Northwest (15%) to do so.
• Parents (30%) are more likely than those without kids (21%) to bring their own pillows or bedding.

Shopping on Black Friday...

Three in ten (30%) adult Americans say they'll shop on Black Friday. But some demographics of Americans have a higher propensity to brave the crowds:

• Interestingly, men (30%) and women (31%) are just as likely to shop on Black Friday.
• Younger Americans (39%) are more likely than middle-aged (31%) and older (22%) Americans to shop on Black Friday.
• Individuals living in the South (38%) are most likely to shop on Black Friday, followed by those living in the West (29%), the Midwest (26%) and the Northeast (22%).
• Black Americans (50%) are most likely to shop on Black Friday, while Hispanics (37%) and White (25%) Americans are less likely.
• Retired (22%) Americans are among the least likely to shop on Black Friday.

Family Feud...

While most (74%) Americans say they most look forward to visiting with family over Thanksgiving, there are some differences in priorities:

• Women (80%) are significantly more likely than men (69%) to say they're most looking forward to visiting with family over Thanksgiving weekend.
• Men (15%) are twice as likely as women (7%) to say they're looking forward to the food the most.
• Middle-aged Americans (11%) are more likely than younger (7%) or older (5%) Americans to say they're most looking forward to sleep or rest over the Thanksgiving weekend.

For more information on this news release, please contact: Sean Simpson Research Manager Ipsos Reid Public Affairs (416) 572-4474 [email protected]

About Ipsos Public Affairs

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