Great thinkers have had different perspectives on how much sleep you need to function. The story goes that Einstein slept 10 hours a day, 11 if he was working on something big. Edison on the other hand is claimed to have said sleep was a waste of time – four hours was enough for him. In today’s non-stop world, with so much to see, do and experience, it seems many of us have little choice but to hope Edison was right. A recent poll by The National Sleep Foundation found that 43% of Americans between the ages of 13 and 64 say they rarely or never get a good night’s sleep on weeknights.
Sleep as a science continues to discover new insights. It’s interesting territory for brands as they make room for sleep, improve lives with rest, help restore us to a healthy, natural rhythm and make tomorrow better. Pampers for example promises better rest for babies and young parents alike. Downy fabric softener – another P&G brand – has connected with the promise of ‘clean sheet day’ freshness for a week, helping to draw insomniacs and workaholics into lullaby land. More than three quarters of Americans say they are more excited about going to bed on sheets with a fresh scent.
In these high-speed on-the-go days, better health and happiness from sleep should be more about individual need and family schedule and less about institutional demand. If a power nap at midday gets you in flow, or the small hours bring out your inner Edison, bring it on.
