Sleepless in America: Americans take five vacation days just to get some sleep

SANTA CLARITA, CA – From politics to work stress, Americans need National Relaxation Day (August 15) more than ever. According to Princess Cruises’ seventh annual Relaxation Report, Americans are using valuable vacation time for things unrelated to vacation such as catching up on sleep and running errands.

When it comes to catching more shut-eye, a majority of working Americans (72%) take at least one day off a year just to sleep, and two out of five Americans (40%) take five or more days off per year (a full work week), just to catch up on sleep according to the recent survey by Wakefield Research for Princess Cruises.

If they are not using their vacation time to sleep, many Americans are trying to get things done. In fact, 68% of Americans admit they’ve used a vacation day for something other than vacation including family emergencies (37%), doctor’s or dentist’s appointments (36%), sick days for their children or loved ones (31%), home projects (23%) and running household errands (23%) – compared to 2015, when 54% said they had done so. Sadly, it’s no wonder Americans are so tired, vacation time has become hard work.

In observance of National Relaxation Day, it’s time for Americans to let go of the guilt and stress they feel when trying to relax, especially when on vacation. Forty-three percent of Americans admit they frequently feel guilty for relaxing, holding steady from 2015.

Ninety-one percent of working Americans say they look forward to sleeping while on vacation, but it appears that the stresses of everyday life are getting in the way of a good night’s sleep on vacation. More than a third (35%) of working Americans, including half (50%) of Millennials, often feel more stressed when they’re on vacation because they can’t stop thinking about work. The lack of sleep is even getting in the way of leisure activities with nearly half of Americans, including 65% of Millennials, admitting they frequently skip events or activities on vacation because they’re simply too tired.

As one of the world’s leading cruise lines, Princess Cruises, is committed to ensuring its guests come back from vacation feeling refreshed, renewed and rejuvenated. As part of its Come Back New Promise Princess Cruises partnered with leading experts in both the science and beauty of sleep to develop the new Princess Luxury Bed. Together with sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus and designer Candice Olson, Princess Cruises now delivers its guests the ultimate night of sleep at sea.

“Sleep and relaxation should be a guilt-free necessity every person should seek in their day,” said Dr. Michael Breus, board-certified sleep expert. “We all want to get the sleep we need while on vacation, but sometimes being in a new place and sleeping in an unfamiliar environment will disrupt a good night’s sleep. This is why I’ve partnered with Princess Cruises to design a luxury mattress and sleep program that will deliver the most restful, rejuvenating sleep at sea.”

Stressed Coast to Coast

Stress levels are high on vacation in every region except one. Working Americans in the Northeast (43%), West (42%) and South (33%) are significantly more likely to feel more stressed on vacation because they can’t stop thinking about work than those in the Midwest (21%). It’s clear that Midwesterners have no problem relaxing. Most agree (67%) that they never or hardly ever feel guilty about relaxing, compared to an average of only 54% across other regions (Northeast, South and West).

Men vs. Women

When it comes to the differences between the sexes, working women are far more likely (48%) than men (39%) to feel guilty about taking the time to relax. However, among the Americans who take at least one day off per year to catch up on sleep, men take more days than women – 8 versus 7, on average.

Redefining Digital Detox

The role of technology and smartphones seems to have shifted from a source of stress to a source of relaxation over the last couple of years. In 2016, 53% of Americans feel their smartphone makes it easier, rather than harder, to relax, compared to 2014 where 52% felt it made it harder.

Political Pressures

This year has taken political stress to the next level from the U.S. presidential election to the U.K.’s historic Brexit. In fact, when it comes to Trump vs Hillary, more than half of Americans (54%) say Trump is more likely to keep them up at night, with Hillary a close second at 46%. However, Americans aren’t the only ones in need of a political pause, as 61% of those polled felt that the United Kingdom, rather than Rio de Janeiro (39%), was in most need of a National Relaxation Day this year.