Four Points by Sheraton Wants You to Lose Your Bags!

Are you one of the 75 percent of adults who experiences daytime sleepiness? Studies show that over 50 percent of adult Americans are sleep-deprived, affecting productivity, stress and overall health. In keeping with the Four Points by Sheraton commitment to spreading the gospel of life’s Simple PleasuresSM, the brand has partnered with William A. Anthony**, Ph.D., also known as the Nap Doctor, to promote the benefits of a good nap and celebrate the eighth annual National Napping Day on Monday, March 12, 2007. The Four Points by Sheraton brand is the official hotel sponsor of National Napping Day, which was created by Boston University Professor William A. Anthony**, Ph.D. and his wife Camille Anthony, president of The Napping Company, in 1999. National Napping Day follows on the heels of Daylight Savings Time when we all "spring forward” and lose a much-needed hour of sleep. Four Points is encouraging the public to make time for a little extra shut-eye and is sending thousands of weary travelers a virtual nap with tips on how to successfully sneak in a few extra winks. Stop Stressing – Improve your Health and Take a Nap! Did you know that the benefits of napping include increased alertness, lower stress levels, significantly reduced risk of heart disease and increased enthusiasm? Science has also shown that naps can have a positive effect on both mood and performance. "Four Points is dedicated to spreading the benefits of a good nap with the sleep deprived public,” said Sandy Swider, vice president of Four Points by Sheraton. "There is nothing more satisfying and uncomplicated than a great afternoon nap and Four Points mantra is to share with the masses all of life’s simple pleasures, especially the ones that are good for you!” "We applaud Four Points by Sheraton for recognizing the importance of taking the time to relax and recharge,” commented Professor Bill Anthony, Ph.D. "Four Points’ commitment to providing simple pleasures with little indulgences is a natural fit for National Napping Day.” So what are you waiting for? Listed below is The Napping Company’s "Seven Habits of Highly Effective Nappers” to help you on your way to a better nap: 1. Announce your nap to yourself and if possible to your family, friends or colleagues. For many people this has been the key step to guilt free, productive napping. By "announcing” your nap to yourself you are reinforcing and reminding yourself of the productivity and health benefits of napping. 2. Gather your napnomic devices This much we know is true—nappers have certain devices that make their nap more pleasurable. We call these napnomic devices, i. e., things that assist you to nap. When you were a toddler, perhaps you had a teddy bear, a favorite blanket, a pacifier. Now that you are an adult napper you have put away your childish things, and have other napnomic devices. These might be certain pillows, your favorite bed, soft music, cool bed sheets, workout clothes, etc. 3. Insure a method for on-time awakening Concern about on time awakening can ruin a good nap, so the Nap Doctor recommends nappers use wristwatches, clock or radio alarms to awaken successfully. When napping at a hotel the wakeup service can be used. 4. Insure control of your nap environment, including a plan to avoid nappus interruptus Nappers need to feel secure in their nap, knowing not only that they have a method to wake up, but also that they will not be awakened prematurely, i.e., experience nappus interruptus. Common strategies are to shut off the phone, hold calls, and/or find an out-of-the way or secretive napping spot. Four Points nappers can use the doorknob sign asking for privacy. 5. Revel in the nap Enjoy! No relevant suggestions here if you master the other six habits. 6. Deal with sleep inertia, if necessary Sleep inertia is that groggy and slightly disorienting feeling that some nappers experience when awakening from a nap. Some people believe that if you nap about 40-60 minutes you will be waking up from a deep sleep and are more apt to experience sleep inertia. To combat sleep inertia they recommend naps of shorter duration (20-30 minutes). 7. Begin to plan your next nap as you awaken from this nap It is important to make napping opportunities a traditional part of your daily planning, even if you don’t always use the opportunity. For travelers in need of a few extra winks, Four Points’ guests can indulge in a mid-day nap in the brand’s signature Four Points by Sheraton Four Comfort Bed® - a multi-layered cocoon of comfort perfect to catch up on some much needed sleep. For additional tips and information on the benefits of napping please visit www.napping.com. For more information about Four Points by Sheraton visit www.fourpoints.com. About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood® Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, Sheraton®, Westin®, Four Points® by Sheraton, W®, Le Méridien® and the recently announced aloftSM and ELEMENTSM Hotels. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com. **William Anthony is a professor of rehabilitation counseling and the executive director of the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at BU Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. To learn more about National Napping Day, find tips for participating, read about the napping surveys, or to take a napping quiz, visit The Napping Company’s website at http://www.napping.com/. (Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results and events will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.)