How has quarantine changed the way people sleep?

Over the past few months, many aspects of the way we live have shifted as we adapt to the new “quarantine normal.” We've transitioned to working remotely and homeschooling; we've replaced our regular 9-5 office work day, favorite local barista and post-work happy hours with seemingly endless Zoom calls, a Keurig that still does not know your coffee order and a glass (read: bottle) of wine on the couch while you try and teach your 5th grader (and yourself) how to measure the area of a parallelogram. 

The silver lining? People are spending more time at home which, in turn, means they're spending more time lounging, relaxing, hanging with family and yes, more time sleeping. And that's great! Because sleep is essential to staying healthy. In fact, getting enough sleep is right up there on the list of essentials with food and water. But we recognize that this is also a tense time, with a lot of unknowns & questions. And while you may have created the perfect bedroom oasis, if stress is keeping you up at night, you may not be getting the best night's sleep. 

So, exactly how much has COVID-19 affected the way people sleep and use their bedrooms?

Well, we wanted to find out. So, we surveyed 2,000 Americans and asked them about their sleeping and bedroom habits since quarantine began. Here's what we found...

Quarantine & Sleep Quality

When asked about their quality of sleep during quarantine, we found that a majority of people:

• Are having more trouble sleeping.
• Said their sleep schedules had become inconsistent and were worried it would not go back to normal even once the pandemic settles.
• Admitted to staying up late to binge-watch TV.
• Said they felt like they were getting more sleep than ever before but also were also more tired than ever before.

The study also found that people had a variety of tactics they used when they couldn't fall to sleep, including:

• Meditation
• Having a snack
• Watching TV
• Browsing social media
• Reading a book
• Playing a game on their phone
• Having an alcoholic beverage
• Taking an over the counter medication like melatonin
• Taking a prescription medication

"Which of the following best describes what you typically do when you have difficulty falling asleep, specifically during your time in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic?"

Upgrades in the Bedroom

A majority of respondents admitted to purchasing items to improve their sleep and make their bedrooms more comfortable, like:

• Pillows
• Mattresses
• Sheets
• White noise machine
• Eye mask
• Black-out curtains

Sleep & Working From Home

When it came to working from home and sleep during quarantine, we found that people were working from all different areas of their home: 23% in a home office, 19% of people from a desk, 17% of people from their couch, 12% at a kitchen table, 12% of people were working from bed, 7% in a garden, 6% on a patio or deck, and 4% somewhere else.

The survey showed that 40% of people admitted to napping 2 times a week during the day while working remotely, and 26% of people said they took 3 naps a week while working from home.

When it came to a work-life balance, a majority of people said that since quarantine began and they started working remotely, it's been hard to separate their personal lives from their work lives.

Nighttime Routines & Sleep Schedules

A majority of respondents admitted that their nighttime routines had been disrupted since quarantine began (55% saying they agree or somewhat agree!). This was because of a few different reasons, including:

• Staying up late to binge-watch TV
• Going to bed later because they can wake up later
• They're more likely to have a drink during the work week
• Their work schedule or partner's work schedule is different
• They're making more home-cooked meals

And an overwhelming majority said that it's also been hard to maintain their children(s) sleep schedule(s) since quarantine started. This, in turn, has impacted their sleep schedule for reasons including:

• Their kids are staying up later or going to bed earlier
• Their kids have been waking up earlier
• Their kids sleep in bed with them
• Their kids have more tantrums at bedtime

Intimacy in the Bedroom

When it came to alone-time in the bedroom, a majority of respondents reported an increased sex life.

How has the pandemic and quarantine impacted your sleep quality, schedule and home life? Ready for a bedroom upgrade? Choose from our 4 awesome mattresses and start getting better sleep.

For more sleep tips & tricks, as well as information on how to get better sleep, head over to our blog.