Sleep study findings provide wake-up call
By David Perry, Executive editor -- Furniture Today, April 14, 2002
An important national sleep study should provide a wake-up call for tired, cranky Americans. It should also encourage us as an industry to sell the features and benefits of our products rather than just talking about big discounts and low prices.
The survey, published by the National Sleep Foundation, makes a powerful case that inadequate sleep is a major problem facing Americans. While many Americans enjoy the benefits of sufficient sleep, as many as 47 million adults may be putting themselves at risk for injury and health and behavior problems because they aren't meeting their minimum sleep needs in order to be fully alert the next day.
"People in this army of the walking tired are more likely to sit and seethe in traffic jams, quarrel with other people, or overeat, according to the findings," the NSF said.
It's encouraging that 91% of survey respondents say their sleep surface is very important or somewhat important in helping them get a restful night's sleep. Almost the same number agree that a better quality mattress provides a better night's sleep. But many Americans are apparently not acting on that data, given the significant sleep issues the survey raises.
Bedding major Sealy is working with NSF to develop educational programs that address the issue of sleep and to help educate Americans about its importance, as we report in a story on page 238.
It's interesting that most survey respondents (93%) say their sleep surface is very or somewhat supportive. The results are virtually identical on the issue of comfort — 94% say their sleep surface is very comfortable or somewhat comfortable.
Oddly, 9% of survey respondents strongly or completely devalue the importance of the sleep surface in getting a good night's sleep. Specifically, 5% said the sleep surface is not very important, with 4% saying it is not at all important in helping them get a good night's sleep.
Similar, strange findings emerged when respondents were asked if they agree that a better-quality mattress provides a better night's sleep. Seven percent mostly disagreed with that statement; 2% completely disagreed.
You've got to wonder about this 9%. How can anyone say that a sleep surface is of little or no importance in getting a good night's sleep? Do these people really think they can sleep as comfortably on the floor as they can on a comfortable bed? Haven't they ever endured the agony of sleeping on a lousy sofa-sleeper mattress? Don't they remember how uncomfortable they were when they slept on a flimsy mattress on that camping trip with the kids?
We as an industry have an especially big challenge in educating those consumers about the value of our products. There's plenty of other work to do too. That "army of the walking tired" needs our help. The products we make do help consumers lead healthier, more productive lives.
Isn't that a better message than saying we have low prices?
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ISPA Expo: Industry strives to sell better sleep
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