Teddy Bears Accompany 35 Percent Of British Adults To Bed, Survey Says
About 35 percent of British adults sleep with teddy bears, according to a Travelodge survey.
The hotel chain polled about 6,000 people after trying to track down the rightful owners of 75,000 displaced stuffed animals found in 452 hotels in the past year, United Press International reports. Ten percent of women polled said they treated their teddy bear as a good friend, while 25 percent of males said they bring their teddy bears on business trips, according to the report.
Respondents said they snuggled with the toys for comfort and a better night's sleep, and one expert said the reasoning makes perfect sense. "Cuddling a teddy bear is an important part of our national psyche as it evokes a sense of peace, security and comfort," Psychologist Corrine Sweet said in a Travelodge press release obtained by Yahoo! Finance.
Scott Hardy, an Arizona businessman, told ABC News he often travels with a stuffed dog in his suitcase. His wife gave him the toy while they were dating. "I've had some friends who are like, 'What's with the stuffed animal?'" Hardy told ABC after a similar Travelodge survey was released in 2010. "It's just a reminder of my beautiful bride."
According to Travelodge, Britons have a preference when it comes to their favorite bears. The classic teddy bear tops the list as the most popular, followed by Winnie the Pooh and Paddington Bear.
UPI.com: 35 percent of British adults sleep with bear