Carpenter Co. and SleepBetter.org Release Sleepless Couples Index

Couples Report Getting Less Sleep Than Singles and the Widowed, Divorced or Separated

Richmond, Va., February 7, 2013 – Valentine’s Day is an occasion to celebrate couples, but new research from Carpenter Co. and SleepBetter.org found that those relationships might take a toll on sleep. The SleepBetter.org Sleepless Couples Index found that, on average, American couples get about a half a day less sleep per month than singles and those who had been previously married.  Couples were also the group with the highest percentage of people who reported getting adequate sleep less than half the month.

 

Marital  Status	Avg. # of days per month of adequate sleep	% who receive adequate sleep less than half the month
Couple — married or unmarried	8.2	80.9
Single, never married	8.7	80.4
Separated, Divorced, Widowed	8.6	77.9

 

The data used to develop the index were drawn from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (BRFSS), a telephone survey that collects information on the health behaviors of more than 350,000 adults in the US. (Full methodology below)

The SleepBetter Sleepless Couples Index also broke down the data by marital status into the top 50 markets. Nashville, Tennessee’s couples and singles are both the most sleepless in the U.S., while Columbus, Ohio’s couples sleep the best  and those who were previously married sleep second best.  The top 10 markets for sleepless couples can be found below and the full Sleepless Couples Index with a sortable database of all 50 top markets is available here.

“We know from scientific sleep studies that getting a good night sleep can positively impact nearly every aspect of a person’s life, including your relationship,” said Dan Schecter, senior vice president of consumer products at Carpenter Co. and creator of SleepBetter.org. “SleepBetter.org has gathered sleep tips, information and recommended products for Americans ready to commit to sleeping better and The Sleepless Couples Index shows that while all Americans should be alarmed about their sleep deprivation, couples especially should look for ways to sleep better.”

 

Top 10 Markets with the Sleepiest Couples

Market (DMA)	DMA Rank	Ranking by Martial Status
		Couple — Married or Unmarried	Separated, Divorced, Widowed		Single, Never Married
Nashville	29	1	31		1
San Antonio	36	2	36		41
San Francisco-Oak-San Jose	6	3	3		19
West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce	38	4	50		3
Los Angeles	2	5	16		7
San Diego	28	6	7		4
Greenvll-Spart-Ashevll-And	37	7	21		11
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale	16	8	30		13
Harrisburg-Lncstr-Leb-York	43	9	2		39
Baltimore	27	10	4		21

 

Index Methodology: The data used to develop the indices above were drawn from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (BRFSS), a telephone survey that collects information on the health behaviors of more than 350,000 adults in the U.S. These data were derived from responses to the question, “During the past 30 days, for about how many days have you felt you did not get enough rest or sleep?” on the most recent survey in which that question was asked (2010). Two sleep indicators were created – the average number of days per month adults reported receiving adequate sleep  and the percentage of adults reporting adequate sleep less than half the time. The combined values of those indicators were used to create the SleepBetter.org Sleepless Couples Index.

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About SleepBetter.org

Created by Carpenter Co., SleepBetter.org is dedicated to helping people sleep better. Designed as an online resource, the website creates a forum for visitors to define, discuss and discover solutions to fit their particular sleep needs. SleepBetter.org’s quest is to continually gather pertinent sleep information, then share this knowledge with the general public. The site also shares tips on the best sleep-related products, both in stores and online. SleepBetter.org has created the SleepBetter seal as a way to easily identify products recommended for their superior quality or scientifically based design. For more information, please visit www.SleepBetter.org.

About Carpenter Co.

Carpenter Co. is the largest manufacturer of comfort cushioning products in the world.  The Richmond, Va.-based company manufactures a wide variety of polyurethane foam and polyester fiber products, all designed to make the world more comfortable.  Born and built in the United States, Carpenter Co. has a 64-year history of designing the world’s most comfortable products and remains on the cutting edge of product development, creating innovative products that improve sleep and enhance active life styles.  The Carpenter Co. Consumer Products Division offers a dynamic line of trusted products, including Isotonic®, ErgoFresh™, Ambient™ and IsoCool™ by Isotonic® pillows, mattress pads and neck pillows as well as comfort technologies like Avena™ and Avela™ and new technologies like IsoFresh™. For more information, visit www.carpenter.com.

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