Talk about traveling with pets. Here comes British budget hotel chain Travelodge with news that it has found 75,000 teddy bears left behind by their errant owners at its 452 hotels within the last 12 months.
In response to this staggering finding, Travelodge surveyed 6,000 Britons to investigate the nation’s fascination with cuddly bears. The survey revealed that more than a third (35%) of adults admit they sleep with their teddy because they found cuddling their bear comforting; and the calming feeling of a bear hug also helps them to de-stress after a hard day – which aids sleep.
A quarter of male respondents reported they take their teddy bear away with them when traveling on business. As it reminds them of home and a bear cuddle helps them to nod off as they miss a bedtime cuddle from their partner. In addition, over a quarter of adults 26% use a teddy bear hot water bottle so that they can have a warm bear hug to help them nod off.
Psychologist Corrine Sweet says: ‘Cuddling a teddy bear is an important part of our national psyche as it evokes a sense of peace, security and comfort. It’s human nature to crave these feelings from childhood through adult life. This is why 35% of British adults sleep with their teddy bear. It’s not surprising, then, that taking a cuddly bear on a business trip is so popular, even among men (25%). A bedtime bear evokes the secure feelings of home and warmth, which can aid sleep – just like in childhood.’
‘We have never had as many as 75,000 cuddly bears left behind in Travelodge hotels before,’ says Shakila Ahmed, a Travelodge spokeswoman. And our staff has worked extremely hard in reuniting the bears with their owners. Amazingly, the owners have not just been children – we have a large number of frantic businessmen and women calling to say they have forgotten their teddy bear.’
Well, yes. A lady psychologist I know says that teddy bears represent ‘safety objects.’ In the absence of a real human being, hugging a bear in bed is ‘soothingly tactile and comforting.’
‘A teddy bear on a man’s bed,’ she adds, ‘shows his sensitive side to a lady visitor – although more than one cuddly animal may not be quite so cute.’
I don’t know about that. But I don’t think, Vanessa, my life-size inflatable doll would like a teddy bear around.