(Newser)
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One out of four adult men travel with a secret tucked away in their suitcases—a special stuffed animal. That's what hotel chain Travelodge found out by tracing back to their owners the 75,000 teddy bears left behind in hotel rooms each year. Interested in how many of the bears seemed to belong to adults, the company did a survey and found out that 35% of adults typically sleep with a stuffed animal, and 25% of adult men travel with one.
Those surveyed said sleeping with a stuffed animal calms them and relieves stress. The company of a stuffed animal helps travelers feel less lonely on the road, they say, reminding them of partners at home. "I travel enough that it's a nice reminder of home," said a 34-year-old businessman who travels with a stuffed beagle that his wife gave him years ago. "I've had some friends who are like, 'What's with the stuffed animal?'" he told ABC News. "It's just a reminder of my beautiful bride."
