Leading up to National Relaxation Day on August 15, Princess Cruises has released the results of its eighth annual Relaxation Report, which has revealed that when it comes to relaxation and sleep, many Americans are in need of a wakeup call.

According to results of the survey by Wakefield Research for Princess Cruises, Americans aren’t carving out enough time in their days for sleep or relaxation, with approximately half (49 percent) reporting they aren’t getting the sleep they need and 78 percent saying they don’t set aside time to relax each day.

Relaxation and sleep go hand-in-hand, and the lack of both appears to be catching up with Americans. Rather than getting the most enjoyment out of their vacation, working adults take an average of four days off per year just to catch up on sleep.

Whether it’s a full vacation or even just a few minutes of downtime, learning how to carve out more “me” time is clearly becoming a necessity.

Even going on vacation doesn’t guarantee better rest, according to the survey, which found that 63 percent of Americans frequently struggle to get a good night’s sleep while on vacation.

As one of the world’s largest international premium cruise brand, Princess Cruises is committed to ensuring its guests come back from vacation feeling refreshed, renewed and rejuvenated.

As part of its “Come Back New Promise,” Princess Cruises partnered with leading experts in both the science and beauty of sleep to develop the Princess Luxury Bed. Together with board-certified sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus and designer Candice Olson, Princess Cruises now delivers its guests the ultimate night of sleep at sea.

“The number one advice I give people is that sleep is a sensory experience and all five of your senses must be prepared for slumber in order for you to fall asleep easily and stay asleep all night long,” Dr. Breus said. “I’m thrilled to have partnered with Princess Cruises and believe we have come up with a bed that will allow guests to achieve the ultimate in rest and relaxation.”

The Relaxation Report revealed factors that Dr. Breus notes are causes for Americans to not get the sleep and relaxation they need, including:

● Consuming caffeine too late in the day – caffeine can linger in the system for up to eight hours, and yet 44 percent of Americans admit to drinking caffeine at 2 p.m. or later.

● Indulging in a nightcap – Even though alcohol can prevent people from getting quality sleep, more than half (53 percent) of Americans age 21 or older admit to having had a drink within three hours of going to sleep in the past last two weeks.

● Stress over current events – For 67 percent of Americans, today’s political climate has made it harder for them to relax. Taking a break from the 24/7 political news cycle may be the prescription for more relaxation and better sleep.

● Not sticking to a schedule – One in four Americans (25 percent) don’t go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Setting a consistent alarm is an easy way to get more satisfying sleep.

● The urban grind – The hustle and bustle of the city can take its toll on the body. Working city-dwellers are significantly more likely to take five or more days off per year just to catch up on sleep (45 percent) compared to just 25 percent of those who live in the suburbs and 24 percent of those who live in rural areas.

● Not using time off – Among working Americans, about 1 in 3 (31 percent) didn’t use all the time available to them. Among Americans who didn’t use all of their paid time off, the top reason is they had too much work to get done (37 percent).

The Princess Luxury Bed is rolling out to more than 44,000 staterooms through 2019. The bed features a plush, two-inch thick pillow top, a nine-inch, single-sided medium firm mattress for enhanced support, individually wrapped coils for less partner disturbance, a European-inspired duvet and 100 percent luxurious Jacquard-woven cotton linens. The Princess Luxury Bed is also now available for guests to order for their homes via www.princessluxurybed.com.

To prepare guests for the ultimate night of sleep at sea, Princess Cruises and Dr. Breus optimized the staterooms for a sleep-friendly sensory experience. As an extension to the sensory stateroom offerings, we offer a SLEEP by Princess Kit which includes additional sleep-inducing items such as eye shades, earplugs, aromatherapy scents, Dr. Breus’ Good Night™ app and more.

To learn more about our sleep-friendly sensory experience in our staterooms, see the relaxation report infographic and top five tips for getting a good night sleep, go to www.princess.com/sleep.

Additional information about Princess Cruises is available through a professional travel agent, by calling 1-800-PRINCESS or by visiting the company’s website.