(Plastics Today)

The first-ever bubble wrap brand "pop" poll stress survey found that 77 percent  of Americans are more stressed or as stressed today than they were one year ago. Close to one-third of the nation (32 percent) believes that there is a better shot for the national debt to be erased than a life without stress.

Sealed Air Corp., the makers of bubble wrap brand cushioning, conducted this poll to gauge the current stress level of Americans and reinforce the surprise stress-relieving benefits of popping bubble wrap, the company stated. The survey, conducted by Kelton Research, reveals that about one minute of popping bubble wrap packaging provides stress relief

Bubble wrap

"Bubble wrap was originally intended as a form of textured wallpaper, but has transformed into an unexpected pop culture icon, becomingmost recognized for the satisfying release that comes with the popping of each bubble," said William V. Hickey, president and CEO of Sealed Air.

OK, whether bubble wrap actually does help to reduce stress or not is up for debate. However, a recent study did state the demand for protective packaging is set to increase by about 5 percent per year to $5.9 billion in 2016, according to The Freedonia Group, Inc., an industry market research firm.

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