Valentine’s Day is a holiday that is often dreaded, especially among singles and even some couples. While it holds the promise of romance for some, it can be a source of stress and mixed emotions for others.
In a society where loneliness is on the rise, we decided to look into the Valentine’s Day plans of Americans and how the holiday may affect their sleep habits.
In early February, we surveyed 1,252 Americans and found 45% of single Americans are gearing up to share their beds with someone on the special day, but for many it’s not exactly what you’d think. Additional results showed that 29% of Americans say their sleep is likely to be impacted on Valentine’s Day.
Seventy-Three Percent of Americans Don’t Plan to Sleep Alone This Valentine’s Day
Who do Americans plan on sharing their bed with this Valentine’s Day? While the answer is no one for 27% of Americans, the majority say they will be sharing a bed with someone.
Here is the breakdown of who Americans anticipate sharing a bed with on February 14th:
- Romantic partner (53%)
- No one (27%)
- Dog (16%)
- Cat (10%)
- Child (3%)
- Ex-partner (2%)
- A friend (2%)
- Stranger (1%)
Forty-Five Percent of Singles Don’t Plan to Sleep Alone
While single people were much more likely to say they intend to sleep alone (55%) on Valentine’s day compared to those in a relationship (10%) or married (7%), 45% say they do plan to share their bed with someone else.
Here is the breakdown of who single people plan to sleep next to on Valentine’s Day:
- No one (57%)
- A dog (17%)
- A cat (14%)
- A romantic interest (13%)
- A child (3%)
- An ex-partner (3%)
- A friend (3%)
- A stranger (2%)
Americans in the age groups of over 66 and under 25 were more likely than Americans outside of those two age groups to say they will be spending the night solo.
Majority of Mattress Sharers Plan to Cuddle
Of Americans who are going to be sharing a bed with either another person or a pet on Valentine’s Day, 62% say they will engage in cuddling, while 33% say they plan to maintain personal space.
Those who plan to spend the night with an ex-partner were most likely to say they anticipate cuddling (71%) followed by those sharing their bed with a friend (70%), romantic partner (68%), or stranger (62%). Surprisingly, less than half of dogs and cats will be getting some night time cuddles.
Our survey also found the desire to cuddle is correlated with age with younger people expressing more of an interest in cuddling than older people.
According to Dr. Michael Breus, clinical psychologist and sleep medicine expert at SleepDoctor.com, there are a number of elements to consider when sharing a bed.
“There are at least four different areas to consider when sharing a bed with a partner: temperature, noise, schedule, and comfort,” says Dr. Breus.
“Cuddling is an interesting act that seems to have both up and down sides to it. The upside is at least one person feels safe, warm, and attended to. The issue is that in some cases one partner actually is the opposite and needs space when they sleep. Or does not like feeling the body heat next to them.”
Three in Ten Say Valentine’s Day Will Impact Their Sleep
While 71% say the holiday will have no impact on their sleep, 17% say they will likely sleep less than usual, while 12% say they anticipate sleeping more than usual.
Of those who feel their sleep is likely to be impacted, reasons include:
- Late-night activities or celebrations (52%)
- Excitement or anticipation (43%)
- Stress or anxiety (28%)
- Changes in sleep environment (19%)
Men were slightly more likely to say their sleep may be affected (33% vs. 26%). Twenty percent of men feel they’ll sleep less than usual compared to 14% of women, and 12% of men say they’ll sleep more versus 11% of women.
Stress is more likely to be the anticipated reason for sleep changes for women (32% vs. 25%), while changes in sleep environment is the most likely reason for men (22% vs. 16%).
Gen Zers (ages 18-25) were much more likely to say they think their sleep will be affected by Valentine’s Day with 69% reporting this. This group is more likely than any other group to report the change in their sleep will likely be due to stress or anxiety (34%).
“Getting a little less sleep, if you get good sleep anyway, is not going to be that big of a deal. However, if you are already sleep deprived, it will be rough,” says Dr. Breus.
“Drinking alcohol later than usual will be very disruptive on top of maybe staying up a little later than normal. This is called the double whammy. Being up late, plus having alcohol on a sleep deprived brain, can equal bad decision making.”
Sixty Percent Plan to Celebrate V-Day
Overall, 60% of Americans say they plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year. Those in a relationship (85%) or married (70%) were much more likely than single people (38%) to say they are planning to celebrate.
Of those who plan to celebrate, 54% are planning to have a romantic dinner, 63% spend quality time with their significant other, 34% will exchange gifts, and 34% will eat sweets.
Additionally, 18% plan to engage in some self-love for the holiday and spend the day doing some self-care and pampering, while 12% will go out with friends.
Young people (18-35) were more likely to say they’d be devoting time to self-care and pampering.
Methodology
The survey was completed on SurveyMonkey on February 1, 2024. In total, 1,252 U.S. respondents were surveyed. The sample was census balanced for age and gender.
About The Author
Certified Sleep Science Coach, Director of Product Testing
David is a Certified Sleep Science Coach with a lifelong passion for well-being and health optimization. His interest in sleep developed with the arrival of his son, when sleep suddenly became a precious commodity.
- POSITION: Side Sleeper
- TEMPERATURE: Hot Sleeper
- CHRONOTYPE: Lion
