Healthcare Key Findings July/August 2012
| Mature Adults Keep Physically and Mentally Active | |
| Most Important Factor in a Good Night’s Sleep: Americans Say Mattress | |
| Consumers Buy Green Products for Long-Term Savings and Health |
Mature Adults Keep Physically and Mentally Active
Boomers and centenarians consider maintaining physical health the most important – and most difficult – aspect of aging well.
More than half of Boomers and centenarians say they exercise almost every day and 89% of both groups communicate with friends and/or family members daily in order to maintain physical and mental health.
Centenarians are more likely than Boomers to say they eat nutritious meals and get eight or more hours of sleep most days. Nine in 10 Boomers have Internet access at home, compared to only a quarter (25%) of centenarians.
Both groups use the internet with Boomers using it primarily to get information and centenarians to share and view photos with family and friends.
Activities Boomers And Centenarians Do Daily or Almost Daily
Americans Consider Mattress Most Important Factor in Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
In a recent bedroom poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation more than three-fourths (76%) of those surveyed say that they had a good night’s sleep at least a few nights a week. And a good mattress was the number one factor (93%), followed by comfortable pillows (91%) and comfortable sheets and bedding (86%).
Only 29% felt a relaxing bath or shower just before bed and 12% felt the use of a prescription or OTC sleep aid made a difference in their sleep experience. In addition, American adults sleep with an average of 2.2 pillows on their beds.
Elements Americans Consider in Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
Consumers Buy Green Products for Long-Term Savings and Health
Americans’ top reason for buying environmentally friendly products is because they believe these products will save them money in the long run (90%) and because they consider the products healthier for themselves, their families, and/or their communities.
While consumers care about the environmental impact of their purchase, they don’t want to have to do the research to find out what that impact might be. Fewer than half (43%) say they actively seek out environmental information about the products they buy.
More than seven in 10 (73%) want companies to provide more environmental information on product packaging, and 71% want companies to help consumers understand the terms they use when describing products and services.
How Often U.S. Consumers Consider Environmental Impact of Purchases
Bullets
- 47% of the time people think about something other than what they are doing.
- More over-the-counter sleep aids are bought than any other OTC drug, and 25% of us take a sleep med every year.
- The American Red Cross says its national blood supply is at its lowest level in 15 years because of severe weather combined with a markedly slow summer of donations.