Americans Are Using PTO to Sleep, Not for Vacation–Report

Summary

A large number of Americans are using PTO to sleep rather than take a vacation, according to a new report.An Amerisleep.com survey of more than 1,200 Americans revealed that 37 percent used vacation days in the past year just to rest.Why It MattersWhile many companies have updated their PTO policies to be more flexible or even unlimited in nature, Americans may be less likely to use the time off for vacation due to higher costs of living.However, overall exhaustion can also play a key role, sparking many workers to take the time off to rest instead of following any specific plans.What To KnowThe new report found that one-third of workers aren’t spending their vacation on leisure because they’re using it to recover from exhaustion. That rate was highest among millennials, at 43 percent, followed by 34 percent of Gen X, 33 percent of Gen Z and just 20 percent of baby boomers.“People often crave this unattainable work/life balance complex where many Americans are using time off just to catch-up on rest,” Kevin Thompson, CEO of 9i Capital Group and host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. “With the demands of children, extended family, and daily social engagement, it stands to reason that many are looking for a respite to recharge the life battery wherever they can.”The survey also found that higher earners were 26 percent more likely to use PTO for sleep than those earning under $100,000. On average, Americans who took PTO for sleep used two to three days to catch up.What People Are SayingRosie Osmun, certified sleep science coach at Amerisleep, told Newsweek: “Burnout is so widespread that people are burning vacation days on basic recovery instead of new experiences. This shift shows that rest has become a necessity, not a luxury.”Thompson also told Newsweek: “People have to live two lives, professional and personal, while some have a combination of the two. Many are juggling work/life which may lead to an unbalance where people will either leave the workforce alt...