While You Were Sleeping…
It’s hard to miss the interest surrounding that magical time when your head hits the pillow ‘til your alarm blares (hopefully) eight hours later. From new industry buzzwords like sleep debt, social jet lag, even clean sleep, to the constant discussion — How much did you sleep? How was your sleep? You look tired — it can be enough to make you want to hide your head under a pillow and take a nap.
While it may be easy to dismiss this as sleep simply being the latest wellness trend to have its day in the sun, it is not one to take lightly. An increasing amount of research points to the perils of decreased sleep (defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as seven hours a night), including an increased risk for diabetes and obesity, possible ties to mental health conditions and more.
Decreased sleep is also quite common, with roughly one-third of Americans experiencing brief stretches of insomnia. This loss of sleep directly correlates to a loss in productivity to the tune of an estimated $63 billion every year in the US.
Consumers are listening – and companies have noticed. New sleep aids pop up seemingly daily aimed to tap that previously undisturbed portion of the consumer day. From nap pods to weighted blankets to temperature-changing blankets and more, many tout their effectiveness in helping aid deeper, more restorative sleep. And, while individual results vary, a good number of consumers agree (including this girl and her weighted blanket…and sleep mask).
As we move past Daylight Savings Time and World Sleep Day, even more brands are understandably looking at how they too can cash in on counting sheep. The best practices of sleep engagement are like those of any major moment.
Have a POV
Is there a reason your brand should be getting into the conversation and do you have a unique perspective to add? If yes, great! If no, think about sleeping this one out.
Tap an Expert
Even when you do have something to say, recognize that you don’t know what you don’t know and tap an expert. The science behind sleep is still quite new — and quite mysterious. Partnering with leading sleep researchers and doctors to share their findings offers a more authentic and useful voice for your consumer.
Practice What You Preach
We already shared how costly lost productivity is each year for U.S. businesses. Embrace a company culture that puts wellness first. It’ll be a win for your employees — and your bottom line.
Sweet dreams.
