 |
What does it take to ruin your day? And by what time are you ready to crawl back under the covers and call it a day?
These are other esoteric questions are finally being answered thanks to a survey commissioned by Avocado Green Mattress and conducted by Talker Research. The poll of 2,000 Americans reveals that the average American knows if they’re in for a “bad day” by 8:36 a.m., when they still should be riding a cereal sugar high, and also found that the average person endures four bad days per month. That totals a staggering 48 days – or a month and a half, or 13% – of bad days annually.
To be honest, I expected that number to be higher. Perhaps the most striking revelation from the survey is for 26% of respondents, when something goes awry in the morning, the day is completely lost.
Mornings appear to be the critical battleground for setting the day’s tone, the survey says. The top five morning mishaps that signal an impending bad day include:
- Waking up feeling sick (35%).
- Sleeping poorly throughout the night (31%).
- Waking up with a headache (29%).
- Losing keys (26%).
- Forgetting phone at home (25%).
Other common harbingers of a bad day include running out of toilet paper (22%), forgetting a wallet at home (22%) and oversleeping (18%). Perhaps smacking the snooze alarm a half-dozen times isn’t the best course of action.
The impact of these morning setbacks can be severe. Nearly half of the respondents (48%) admitted to canceling plans or calling out of work to return to sleep after waking up just with a feeling that the day would be challenging.
“Bad days happen to everyone, sometimes from stress or poor sleep,” Christine Carpio, senior manager of Community + Social Impact at Avocado Green Mattress, in a statement. “By focusing on self-care and prioritizing rest, you can turn those tough days into chances for a fresh start and a brighter outlook.”
The survey also explored the relationship between sleep quality and daily experiences. An overwhelming 71% of respondents say their sleep quality could be the “make-or-break” factor between a good day and a bad one. On the other side of the pillow, 77% reported that a good night’s rest better prepares them to handle potential morning mishaps.
Look, I get it that folks are going to have some days better than others. But if stubbing your toe (17%), waking up on the wrong side of the bed (17%) or spilling your coffee in the morning (14%) is enough to screw up a full 24 hours, there’s probably a bigger issue at play.
“As we approach the busiest time of the year, from heading back-to-school and into the holiday season, slowing down where possible and prioritizing rest is a great way to prevent bad days,” says Laura Scott, director of brand marketing.
She’s got a good point.
While the average American knows if they’re in for a “bad day” by 8:36 a.m., some 23 years ago today it was a whole lot worse. At 8:46 a.m. that morning, the first plane hijacked by terrorists struck the Twin Towers in New York City.
Next time you’re ready to write off the entire day first thing in the morning, be grateful that you have a day to enjoy – then go enjoy every moment of it.
David Brown is publisher of the Cherokee Scout. You can reach him by phone, 828-837-5122; email, dbrown@cherokeescout.com; or on X @daviddBstroh.