This Is The Exact Moment When You’ve Overstayed Your Welcome, According to One Survey
With the holiday season in full swing, you might be gearing up to either visit loved ones or take on hosting duties yourself. If you’re curious about some of the unspoken rules and guidelines to help make either scenario run as smoothly as possible, a new survey of 2,000 Americans might shed some light on how to be the best host and guest you can be.
The data, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Serta Simmons Bedding, included insight from respondents of varying age demographics. The researchers found that those preparing to host friends and family during the holidays lose two and a half hours of sleep per day in the lead-up to their guests’ arrival, while Gen Zers are the most likely to lose at least four hours of sleep per day when prepping for guests.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, 34 percent of respondents said the holidays are the most sleepless time of the year, with many reasons contributing to a lack of quality shut-eye. Some top reasons include excitement for the season (33 percent), stress around prepping for guests (25 percent), indulging in too many holiday treats and holiday movie marathons (21 and 20 percent, respectively).
It’s not just hosts that are feeling the stress, either. It seems plenty of people are worried about overstaying their welcome, with 49 percent of respondents feeling that a visit of four days or more is too many. A whopping 75 percent of guests feel compelled to go to sleep and wake up at the same time as their host. Thirty percent of guests actually bring their own bedding when staying over, with millennials most likely to do so (37 percent), and 12 percent want to but are worried about offending their host — though 70 percent of respondents share they wouldn’t be offended by that at all.
Lastly, because you’re undoubtedly curious, seven percent of hosts said that they hide valuables, while 25 percent of guests cop to snooping around. It’s impossible to know how truthful those stats are, but it’s worth noting that it’s never a bad idea to be a respectful guest whenever possible — however tempting it might be to sneak a peek.
Whether you’re staying with loved ones or gearing up to host, here’s hoping your holidays are as smooth and stress-free as can be.