Friday Night's A Great Night... For Sleep!

JULY, 2011: “Thank God it’s Friday” might refer as much to having a good night in than a big night out, says a survey of 1,300 Kiwis and Australians by Travelodge Hotels. The survey revealed that Fridays provide the best night’s sleep of the week, with over a third (37%) reporting Friday night’s slumber as the longest and most peaceful.

And the worst? With Monday morning playing on our minds, almost 40 percent stated Sunday night’s sleep as a struggle…and it’s work related stress at fault, with a quarter of respondents (25%) tossing and turning because of work worries.

Work woes affect men the most, with a third (31%) reporting it as the main reason they can’t sleep at night. For the ladies, while the office is definitely a factor (23%), they’re mostly missing out on precious shut-eye because of their partner’s snoring! A quarter (26%) of the female respondents complained of a noisy other half, compared to just 9 percent of men.

The survey also revealed that we’re not catching up on crucial missed sleep under the covers. Busy lifestyles are seeing Kiwis and Aussies catching up wherever they can and it might be our work that’s suffering with 26 percent of men and 16 percent of women confessing to a sneaky doze in a meeting. Other places where Aussies are attempting to get out of sleep debt include trips on the bus or train to work (61%), at the movies (40%) and in a lecture (32%).

The survey was commissioned by Travelodge Hotels, just one aspect of a new sleep campaign that sees Travelodge Hotels engaged in a range of activities to help ensure a good night’s sleep for every guest including complimentary Good Sleep Guides and “dream tea” for all guests. In 16 city locations across Australia and New Zealand, Travelodge Hotels offer great rates, rest assured.

Rachel Argaman, CEO of Travelodge Hotels in New Zealand and Australia, says: “Providing a good night’s rest for guests is a priority for the teams at each Travelodge Hotel across Australia and New Zealand. Whether you’re on holiday or a business trip, a good night’s sleep puts you in the right headspace for tackling the day’s excitement and challenges. We want Travelodge guests to feel relaxed and revitalised when they check-out and this new survey shows just how important that commitment is to the wellbeing of our guests.”

Other interesting statistics from the Travelodge survey:

• On average, respondents report getting six to seven hours’ sleep per night (62%)
• 43 percent of singletons are cuddling up to a pillow to help them drift off, compared to 32 percent of those married or in a relationship. The lucky in love are overwhelmingly cuddling their partner (93%)
• When it comes to what side of the bed we sleep on, we’re creatures of habit. An overwhelming 71 percent stick to their familiar side of the bed even when in a hotel.
• 18 percent of 18-24 year olds admit to being afraid of the dark and conquer this fear by sleeping with the TV on (50%)

For general sleep tips, hints on how to combat jetlag and more information about sleep Travelodge have created the “Sleep Centre” which guests can access at any time through the Travelodge website: www.travelodge.co.nz