If you have ever locked yourself in the bathroom just to get away from your family during the holidays, you are not alone. A survey polling 2,000 Americans who are traveling to visit their families this holiday season found that on average, they can only stand three hours and 54 minutes with their family before needing some time to themselves.
The survey found that 75% of those polled said they will need to take a moment to themselves over the holiday, with 37% saying they will find an excuse to leave the house to do so. Meanwhile, 25% admitted to finding a place to hide in a relative’s house during family gatherings.
The top concerns for those staying with family include a lack of privacy (22%), family getting on their nerves (20%), family drama (20%), feeling like they are imposing (19%), and the house being too loud or busy (18%).
The survey was performed by OnePoll and funded by Motel 6. With that in mind, the survey found that planning for sleeping arrangements is one of the most stressful parts of hosting for the holidays for 40% of respondents.
Additionally, an average of two people per household with visiting families will be sleeping on something other than a bed during the holidays, according to the survey.
Despite the stressors involved, 95% of respondents still felt that seeing family was an important aspect of the holidays. They will, for an average of 3.5 days, presumably in something close to four-hour chunks.