The perfect Thanksgiving nap begins at 2:57 p.m. and lasts for 42 minutes, according to new research.
The survey of 2,000 Americans who celebrate Thanksgiving revealed the best naps occur after watching the football game, as well as after the big meal and any dessert.
Thanksgiving cooks should take it as a compliment if their guests are napping: 76% said taking a nap after the Thanksgiving meal is a sign of contentment with the food.
Commissioned by Avocado Green Mattress and conducted by OnePoll, the survey found naps peak during the holiday season.
Six in 10 respondents (58%) said they’re more likely to take naps during the holiday season than any other time of the year, which might be due to the effect the holiday season has on Americans’ sleep.
For younger respondents, the holiday season actually improves their sleep. Fifty-nine percent of Gen Z and 60% of millennial respondents said they get better sleep during the holidays.
But only a third (34%) of Gen X and a fifth of baby boomers surveyed said the same; instead, they were more likely to report their sleep being unchanged during the holidays (52% and 68%, respectively).
Unfortunately, that might not be good news for older Americans: just a fifth of Gen X and baby boomers surveyed reported receiving high-quality sleep throughout the rest of the year.
“This time of year can be particularly stressful, and we know that sleep is one of the top indicators of our well-being,” said John Davies, Avocado’s Senior Director of Brand Editorial and Sustainability. “So getting a healthy nap — or a restorative night’s rest — is always important, but it’s essential during the holiday season.”
Eighty-four percent of respondents believe getting better sleep helps them to be a better person — and the same number said being well-rested helps them prioritize in their lives.
And being able to prioritize may allow respondents to be more worried about being eco-conscious this holiday season. A quarter of Gen Z (24%) and 30% of millennials are “very” concerned about being eco-conscious in the upcoming months, compared to 13% of Gen X and 8% of baby boomers.
Regardless of age, 41% of respondents said they are more concerned with being eco-conscious this holiday season, compared to previous years.
To that end, respondents are planning to reuse decorations from previous years (45%), use reusable dishes (35%) and avoid overconsumption on days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday (30%).
They’re also planning to coordinate with (other) guests to avoid having too much food (27%) at their celebrations and are looking to make homemade gifts this year (26%).
“The holidays can be such a wonderful, celebratory time,” said Davies. “They can also be especially wasteful. It’s up to all of us to do our part to support a healthy planet, and by cutting back, recycling, and reusing, we can all make the holidays more sustainable.”
How are Americans being eco-conscious this holiday season?
- Reuse decorations from previous years — 45%
- Use reusable dishes (vs. single-use plastic) — 35%
- Avoid overconsumption on Black Friday and Cyber Monday — 30%
- Coordinate with (other) guests to avoid having too much food — 27%
- Make homemade gifts — 26%
- Buy more locally sourced ingredients — 24%
- Compost any food scraps/uneaten leftovers — 18%
- Shop with eco-conscious retailers — 15%
- Offset any holiday travel — 13%
- Serve more meatless options — 12%