According to a new study commissioned by the stuffed animal makers and conducted by Atomik Research group, out of 2,000 surveyed adults, 40 percent of American adults still sleep with their arms around their favorite teddy bear.
Sometimes, it's even the same raggedy stuffed toy from their childhood. The study's findings reveal that more than half of the participants polled have owned a stuffed animal for more than 20 years — and 70 percent of those surveyed aren't planning on ever letting go of their cuddly friends.
The study also found that 30 percent of people held onto their stuffed animal because it gave them comfort, while 22 percent thought of the person who had gifted them the toy and 19 percent were reminded of their favorite animal.
It also seems that southerners are most likely to own a plush animal, with 75 percent of southerners owning a stuffed family in comparison to the 72 percent in the Midwest and 70 percent in northeastern states.
"At Build-A-Bear, we believe wholeheartedly that you're never too old for a teddy bear, and we love that more than 25 percent of Build-A-Bear shoppers are 12 and older," the company's CEO Sharon Price John said, reported CBS Los Angeles.
"As children develop independence from their parents, they still yearn for a secure bond with something. In many cases, children turned to stuffed animals, including teddy bears, to help them through this transition," according to clinical psychologist Dr. Shefali Tsabary.
"As we enter adulthood and leave home for the first time, it's no surprise that the same object re-enters our life, providing comfort while also helping us work through feelings of uncertainty as we transition into a new life stage," Tsabary added, according to studyfinds.org.
Recently, another survey conducted by Best Mattress Brand found that over 56 percent of adults who sleep with a stuffed animal find it comforting. And apparently, it's the millennial generation that most likely to take a fluffy buddy to bed with them.
