Do you get scared whenever you hear a noise in your house at night? A recent study on home security revealed that more than half of Americans get out of bed at night to investigate random noises, even in situations where they are sure it’s nothing.

Bedtime routines

The study involved 2,000 participants who responded about their nighttime routines, focusing on home security. The poll revealed that more than three-quarters of the respondents double-check that they have locked the front door before going to bed.

At bedtime, two-thirds of Americans start closing the front door before closing all the blinds and curtains and then ensuring that all the windows are locked. Another 28% takes it further and turns on the outdoor lights, with 21% confirming that the garage is closed.

OnePoll conducted the poll for Arlo, a smart home security company. It reveals that 66% of the participants agree that they are extra cautious when it comes to their home’s security.

The study also discovered the driving force behind the high home security concerns, Tv programs. Participants who watch crime-related Tv series ranked as the most likely to take their home’s security seriously. 39% associated their love-hate relationship with the genre with their security habits.

Interestingly, almost half of the participants said their TV watching habits scared them so much that they needed to clear their heads with something light-hearted afterward to feel secure with their existing security setup. Therefore, it is no surprise that some of the participants can get jumpy and reported hearing unexplained bumps at night at least twice a week. Two-thirds of these noises get them out of bed.

Are Americans afraid of burglars?

After hearing a noise at night, 44% assume it’s just the wind, while 34% say it’s probably nothing. However, close to one in five are afraid that it might be a burglar. The latter group said that they get out of bed to confirm for themselves, while 23% said they poke their partners out of bed to go and check.