SWNYBURNOUT By Tyler Schmall
New York office - 646-873-7565 / usnews@swns.com
NEWS COPY - WITH VIDEO & INFOGRAPHIC
One in three Americans is set to endure 'Festive Burnout' before December 25th, according to new research.
A study examining the impacts of festive stress saw a third of respondents (35 percent) say they’re burnt out on the holiday season BEFORE Christmas even comes.
The fascinating new statistic emerged in a study of 2,000 Americans, which also revealed that 68 percent of Americans also consider the holiday season, that special time including Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas, to be a “stressful” time.
The new survey, conducted by Slumber Cloud, also found that the average American will spend 38 hours -- nearly two full days -- getting ready or preparing for the holiday season in some fashion.
The biggest chunk of that time is spent shopping, which takes up a little more than 13 hours of the average American’s time, whether it be picking out the perfect gift for a loved one or simply getting food for cooking.
And speaking of cooking, the average American will spend nine hours and 17 minutes in the kitchen cooking up grub, as well, over the holiday season -- clocking in over a day of full-time work.
Another nine hours are spent just planning for the holidays, with an additional seven hours devoted to simply decorating.
According to the results, “Festive Burnout” will set in for 36 percent of Americans before mid-December, with a further 17 percent saying it sets in before December even starts.
Crowds and shopping were the biggest contributors to “Festive Burnout” with long lines and constantly hearing holiday music also receiving high marks. Continually being subjected to holiday TV ads is also enough to burn out 36 percent of Americans.
The study also went on to lay out the average holiday season in terms of what the average American will experience, and it was too real.
For instance, the survey showed that the average American will endure three awkward jokes from family members, will get asked three personal questions about their love lives by family members, will get into four arguments with family members, and eat “too much” six times.
The survey also showed that eating too much over the holidays will cause 43 percent of Americans to sleep poorly.
The “Festive Burnout” was shown to have a profound effect on our sleeping habits, with 57 percent saying they sacrifice sleep over the holiday season.
In fact, according to the results, Americans lose an hour of sleep every night on average.
“Losing an hour of sleep at night is not sustainable, especially during the high stress holiday season,” says Willy Madison, a sleep enthusiast at Slumber Cloud. “That’s why it’s so important to create a bedroom environment designed to keep you from tossing and turning at night and instead enjoying the limited time you do have set aside actually sleeping.”
Over half of Americans (56 percent) also admit to wanting to take a break from the holidays while they’re in full swing, with the average American saying they feel they need a break ten times throughout the season.
Three out of four Americans consider their bed a “safe haven” from the stress and burnout of the holiday season, with over half (52 percent) of Americans saying they lose some of their privacy due to hosting friends and family overnight during the holidays.
And if the “Festive Burnout” is real for you, the study also went on to find some popular ways people try to remedy it.
A world-famous nap was the most popular solution, with 51 percent of respondents considering it a go-to remedy, with Americans fitting in four on average during the season.
Relaxing in your bedroom away from all the festivities was another high-scorer (45 percent), along with listening to music (41 percent) and just taking a walk (39 percent).
Continued Madison: “This holiday season, give yourself the gift of a great night’s sleep, and you’ll be surprised at how much an impact it makes on your ability to handle ‘Festive Burnout’ along with those awkward jokes from relatives.”
TOP 10 CONTRIBUTORS TO “FESTIVE BURNOUT”
Shopping 65%
Crowds 63%
Long lines 58%
Buying presents 51%
Cooking 48%
Knowing what gifts to buy people 46%
Constantly hearing holiday music 45%
The pressure of making Christmas day special 44%
Constantly seeing holiday commercials on TV 36%
Wrapping presents 34%
TOP 10 REMEDIES FOR “FESTIVE BURNOUT”
A nap 51%
Relaxing in my bedroom 45%
Break from family 44%
Listen to music 41%
Getting out of the house 40%
Take a walk 39%
Reading 33%
Taking time for hobbies 26%
Watching favorite festive movie 25%
Seeing friends 24%
THE AVERAGE HOLIDAY SEASON INCLUDES….
3 awkward jokes from family members
3 questions about your love life from family member
s3 arguments/disagreements with family members
7 conversations reminiscing with family members
3 bad gifts you pretend to like
4 bad night’s sleep
3 screaming/crying kids4 naps
6 times eating too much
FESTIVE PREP INCLUDES…
Shopping - 13 hours and 10 minutes
Cooking - 9 hours and 17 minutes
Planning - 8 hours and 56 minutes
Decorating - 6 hours and 56 minutes
ENDS
