Losing sleep? ZzzQuil survey shows you’re not alone

NEW YORK — If you go to bed every night and easily fall asleep for a refreshing eight- or nine-hour respite, you are in the minority. In fact, at least two-thirds (67%) of Americans said they have trouble falling asleep at least once a month, and nearly half (47%) reported that they experience this trouble at least once a week, according to the latest ZzzQuil survey from Procter & Gamble.

“Whether it’s work, family, finances or being connected to devices, we know that sometimes life just keeps you up,” said Paul Gama, VP of North America personal health care at P&G. “With nearly 1-in-2 Americans experiencing trouble falling asleep at least once a week, it is clear that people are not alone in their quest for a good night’s sleep.”

That may be why many Americans are turning to sleep aids. Sales of the category as a whole were up 4.3% for the 52 weeks ended July 9 across total U.S. multi-outlets, according to IRI. And sales of P&G’s liquid ZzzQuil formulation were up 3.8% to $86.5 million, while private label liquid offerings were up 5.6% to $34.3 million.

According to the survey, of those consumers who tried a sleep-aid, 4-in-5 (80%) reported that a sleeping aid helped them fall asleep more easily, and stay asleep all night. Almost half (46%) of those consumers who turned to aromatherapy were successful reaching a restful bliss, while 45% of those who tried drinking hot tea reported that helped them fall asleep more easily and stay asleep all night.