Sleep Habits of Californians
Sit ‘n Sleep is committed to promoting the health, well-being and happiness of Californians by helping them improve the quality of their sleep. That’s why we wanted to look at their sleep habits. We conducted a survey of more than 500 California residents over 18 years old to learn more about their mattress buying habits and sleep preferences. Below is what we found out about Californians, their sleep habits, and how and where they shop for mattresses. Some of the answers were quite surprising.
What We Found Out About Sleep Habits
- Most of those who took part in our sleep habit survey bought their first mattress when they were between the ages of 18 and 34
- Almost half had never bought a mattress
- On average, respondents had purchased 3.4 mattresses
- Most kept their mattresses between five and ten years before replacing them
- More than half would be uncomfortable paying more than $500 for a new mattress
- Cost is the primary factor that kept those who were surveyed from buying a new mattress
- Slightly less than half had purchased a mattress from a mattress-only retailer
- Of those who buy their next mattress online, more than half would do so either because of lower prices or the convenience of online buying
Sleep Habits Survey Questions and Responses:
Have you ever bought a mattress?
Only slightly more than half of the Californians who took part in the sleep habits survey (51.8%) indicated they had purchased one or more mattresses during their lifetime.
What are the reasons why you’ve never purchased a mattress?
Here are the reasons given by the 48.2% of respondents who indicated they had never bought a mattress:
- 25.9% Sleep on a hand-me-down mattress
- 21.7% Assumed that mattresses were too expensive
- 20.8% Never considered buying a mattress
- 7.5% Sleep on an air mattress
- 5.5% Sleep on a futon
- 18.6% Indicated there were various other reasons
All of these justifications are understandable, but none of them are compelling reasons not to purchase a new mattress. Hand-me down mattresses, futons, and air mattresses are all fine for a few nights of sleep, but since they don’t offer an optimal sleep surface, they eventually lead to soreness, restless nights, and groggy days. For all those who have never considered buying a new mattress, it may be time to evaluate how well you’re really seeping. And for anyone who assumes it’s to expensive, rest assured that new mattresses come in a variety of price points. The nearly 50% of people getting by with something to sleep on owe it to themselves to try a new mattress at least once. The difference between a great sleep surface and what you have now might be greater than you expect.
What was your age when you bought your first mattress?
Not surprisingly, the vast majority (71;4%) of those questioned were between 18 and 34 years of age, which is when young people traditionally leave home, set up new households and begin lives as adults. It was, however, surprising, to learn that 6.5% of the respondents to our survey purchased their first mattress before their 18th birthday. The remaining 22.2% were broken down as follows:
- 11.1% were between the ages of 45 and 54
- 7.3% were between 55 and 64 years of age
- 3.8% were 65 or older
How many mattresses have you purchased during your life?
The average respondent had purchased 3.4 mattresses during their lifetime.
How often do you replace your mattress?
Most respondents indicated they replaced their mattresses every five to ten years. Amazingly, over 40% of those who replied kept their mattresses ten years or longer. Of these, a whopping 10% had been sleeping on the same mattress for more than 20 years. Here’s the breakdown:
- Less than every 5 years – 13.0%
- Every 5 to 10 years – 43.1%
- Every 11 to 15 years – 22.5%
- More often than every 5 years – 13.0%
- Every 16 to 20 years – 11.1%
- 20 years or longer – 10.3%
According to Joe Shaw, manager of Sit ‘n Sleep’s City of Commerce mattress store and clearance center, “The life of a mattress can vary based on the habits of individual sleepers, but if your mattress is more than eight years old, it’s definitely time to have it replaced from standpoints of both health and comfort. We have Sleep Consultants on duty at each Sit ‘n Sleep location who are always available to help shoppers choose a mattress in the size, type and comfort level that’s best for their particular situation.”
Do you love the mattress you’re now sleeping on?
Despite more than 40% of respondents indicating they slept on the same mattress for more than ten years, it was surprising to learn that two-thirds (66.2%) of the people surveyed replied that they did in fact love their mattress. The remaining 33.8% indicated dissatisfaction with the mattress they now sleep on.
What type of mattress do you prefer?
The single largest category of respondents indicated they weren’t sure of the type of mattress they preferred. Here’s the breakdown of the responses in descending order:
- 27.8% weren’t sure
- 21.7% preferred a firm mattress
- 20.2% found soft mattresses to be the most comfortable
- 16.4% liked a Tempur-Pedic mattress
- 5.3% liked Sleep Number adjustable mattresses
- 4.3% preferred the least expensive mattresses available, regardless of brand, type or comfort level
- 3.4% responded with various other preferences
From comfort levels of ultra plush to extra firm and everything in between, you’ll find them all at your nearest Sit ‘n Sleep location in sizes from Twin to California King.
Spending Sleep Habits:
How much would you be comfortable spending on a new mattress?
Over half of those we asked would be uncomfortable paying more than $500 for a new mattress. There were, however, a few respondents who would be willing to spend $4,500 or more to replace their old mattress. Here’s the complete breakdown:
- Less than $500 – 51.0%
- $500 to $1,499 – 32.4%
- $1,500 to $2,499 – 6.7%
- $2,500 to $3,499 – 2.8%
- $3,500 to $4,499 – 1.0%
- $4,500 or more – 6.1%
After seeing the results of the survey, Brad Jones, a Sit ‘n Sleep store manager had this to say: “Our huge selection of mattresses and everyday low prices means each one of our 38 Sit ‘n Sleep mattress superstores have a mattress to suit any body type and fit just about any budget, no matter how small”.
What is keeping you from buying a new mattress?
More than half (56.5%) of our survey respondents indicated price was the primary factor that kept them from replacing the mattress they were sleeping on. Another 15.6% put off buying a new mattress because it was inconvenient, while 27.9% had various other reasons for delaying their purchases. As Susan Keller, another Sit ‘n Sleep Southern California store manager pointed out “Mattress shopping at Sit ‘n Sleep either online or in one of our mattress superstores is fast, easy and affordable. No matter where in Southern California you live, there’s a Sit ‘n Sleep mattress store nearby that’s open seven days a week. We believe in great customer service, so trained and knowledgeable Sleep Consultants are always on duty to answer our customers’ questions and help them chose the mattress that’s right for their situation”.
What was the reason for purchasing your last mattress?
Not surprisingly, almost half (47.4%) of the total respondents said they bought a new mattress either to replace one that was old and worn or because they were sleeping on a mattress that was so uncomfortable they couldn’t get a good night’s rest. Here are all the reasons Californians gave for buying a new mattress:
- Replacing a worn out mattress – 27.9%
- Sleeping on a mattress that’s uncomfortable – 19.5%
- Moving to a new location – 16.0%
- Wanting to change to a larger or smaller size mattress – 12.6%
- Moving away from home – 5.0%
- Having outgrown the mattress – 3.1%
- Other reasons – 5.7%
Shopping Sleep Habits:
Have you ever bought a mattress from a mattress-only retailer?
A slight majority (59.2%) of those asked indicated they had never purchased a mattress from a store that specialized in selling only mattresses and sleep-related products and accessories, such as a Sit ‘n Sleep mattress superstore. The other 40.8% had purchased at least one mattress from a mattress specialty store during their lifetime .
Hypothetically, why would you choose buying your next mattress online rather than from a brick and mortar mattress store?
More than one-third of the survey respondents said they would shop for a mattress online for convenience. Almost as many said mattress prices were low enough to prompt them to buy over the Internet (here’s where you can check you can check Sit ‘n Sleep’s online deals or everyday low prices). Here’s the breakdown among all respondents:
- 36.8% would buy online for convenience
- 34.2% would choose an online retailer because of price
- 20.6% buy online because of the wide range of choices
- 8.5% would buy a mattress online for other reasons
Where did you get your last mattress?
This is the breakdown of where the Californians who participated in our survey got the mattress that they now sleep on:
- Mattress Specialty Store – 42.0%
- Big Box Retailer (Costco, Walmart, Ikea, etc.) – 19.8%
- Hand-Me-Down – 8.8%
- Purchased Online – 7.6%
- Received as a gift – 7.3%
- Thrift Store – 2.7%
- Other Sources – 11.8%
Improve Your Sleep Habits With Sit ‘n Sleep
Sit ‘n Sleep has been providing the public with sleep systems, bedding and accessories for more than 40 years. We continue to be dedicated to providing Southern Californians with quality products, affordable prices and outstanding customer service. What we learned from the survey will be used to provide our customers with an even greater selection of quality mattresses and sleep related products.
