Despite Economy, Americans Insist Big Dreams Still Alive, New Survey Says

RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the throes of the deepest economic downturn since the end of the Second World War, the United States remains a nation of big dreamers, according to the just released “Sleep Better. Dream Bigger.” survey from Carpenter Co. (www.SleepBetter.org).

“One of the simplest and most overlooked steps people can take to sleep better is to make sure they have the right pillow and mattress topper”

More than three in four Americans (77%) still have big dreams for themselves, but most may be too sleep deprived to ensure they have the strength to pursue those dreams.

“If you can’t sleep, you can’t dream,” said Dan Schecter, vice president of consumer products at Carpenter Co., the world’s largest producer of comfort cushioning products, which commissioned the survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs.

“We want more Americans to understand that it’s absolutely essential to sleep better if they are going to be the kind of persons they want to be and to reach the goals they set for themselves,” he said.

While an overwhelming 92 percent of Americans say they believe that sleeping better is a necessary component for achieving their dreams, goals and ambitions, more than half (56%^* ) are getting only six hours or less of sleep on average each weeknight, an insufficient amount of sleep that could be putting their dreams at risk. (^*Yankelovich, September, 2008)

“When it comes to sleep,” says Schecter, “there’s a gap between what people say is important and what people actually do. At Carpenter Co., we’re working to close that gap…to bring people closer to their dreams.”

When asked to name “America’s biggest dreamer,” one third of respondents (33%) who had an opinion cited Barack Obama, who out-polled Martin Luther King (5%) and the 5 percent of survey participants who named themselves.

While survey respondents remained optimistic about their dreams and believe their aspirations can be every bit as big as their parents (78%), they were less encouraged at the ability of today’s children to realize their dreams. More than half of those surveyed (52%) predicted it will be more difficult for the next generation to achieve their dreams.

Despite a high level of confidence in reaching their dreams, the economy is having some dream-related impact. More than one-third of those surveyed (38%) say they have put their dreams “on hold” in the last six months, with 41 percent of those citing the economy as the reason. Four in 10 (39%) Americans think that the economy has “diminished” their ability to dream big over the past year.

When asked to characterize the kind of dreams they have, almost half (45%) said their most important dream related to their family, with 18 percent dreaming about contributing to a better world and another 13 percent focusing their most important dream on their career.

The survey also underscored Americans’ widespread recognition about the value of sleep. A total of 94 percent of respondents said that there is a direct correlation between their ability to function well and a good night’s sleep. Almost as many respondents (88%) said that a pillow is important to sleeping soundly.

“One of the simplest and most overlooked steps people can take to sleep better is to make sure they have the right pillow and mattress topper,” says Schecter. The web site www.SleepBetter.org contains tips and advice on how to get a good night’s sleep and why sleep is important in achieving dreams.

Survey Methodology

A nationally representative sample of 1,000 Americans was interviewed by telephone via Ipsos’ U.S. Telephone Express omnibus from April 16-19. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within ± 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire population of adults in the U.S. been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the sample’s regional and age/gender composition reflects that of the actual U.S. population according to date from the U.S. Census Bureau.

About Carpenter Co. / www.sleepbetter.org

SleepBetter.org is dedicated to helping people sleep better. Designed as an online resource, the Web site creates a forum for visitors to define, discuss, and discover solutions to 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 Sleep Better seal as a way to easily identify products recommended for their superior quality or scientifically based design. Created by Carpenter Co., the world's largest producer of comfort cushioning products, SleepBetter.org provides information and advice that visitors can use to sleep better. For more information, please visit www.SleepBetter.org.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals that help interpret, simulate and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers and citizens around the world. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. Visit www.ipsos.com to learn more.