Source: Cleveland Clinic
Americans
are discovering new ways to prioritize and boost their mental health.
Many are finding that taking a “bite-size” approach is making a
tremendous impact.
According
to a new 2022 Healthy Now survey commissioned by Parade Media and
Cleveland Clinic, 46% of Americans have been able to maintain or improve
their mental/emotional health by taking multiple 5- to 10-minute breaks
throughout the day for activities that relieve stress, depression,
and/or anxiety.
Americans
are finding these “moments” more doable and effective than more
extended periods of mental health-boosting activities. In fact, seven
out of 10 Americans (70%) believe that taking these shorter breaks
throughout the day was more beneficial for maintaining and improving
their mental well-being than taking one 30- to 60-minute break.
“Everyone’s
familiar with the concept of the ‘mental health day,” but our survey
suggests that just a few minutes of time set aside each day to relax and
recharge can make a real difference,” says Lisa Delaney, Parade Media’s
SVP/Chief Content Officer.
“It’s
a way of breaking down practices that help benefit a fundamental
component of wellness into ‘snackable’ moments that more easily fit into
our busy lives.”
Top activities of mentally/emotionally healthy revealed
While
the fact that almost half of Americans are embracing this approach is a
bright spot, the survey reveals that many others continue to struggle
with their mental health. More than one-third (37%) of all respondents
rate their current mental health as average or low.
Significant
percentages of Americans said they grappled with anxiety (45%), sadness
and depression (36%), and anger (34%) at least once a week in the last
month.
Crucially,
the survey revealed many Americans who rated their mental health as low
are not engaging in well-researched activities proven to improve mental
health. Less than half exercise regularly (37%) or spend time outside
(37%), compared to 52% and 46% of those who rate their mental health as
high.
Those
with strong mental health also believe getting adequate sleep (87%),
movement (76%), and socializing with others (71%) are beneficial to
their mental/emotional health.
“Simply
taking a 5-minute walk around the block offers both exercise and time
outside to clear your head and recharge for the rest of the day,”
Kia-Rai Prewitt, Ph.D., a psychologist with Cleveland Clinic’s Center
for Adult Behavioral Health. “Even so, don’t get discouraged if you have
to skip it every now and then. Building these into your daily routine
is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Watch video: https://youtu.be/JrY2QSA5Uso
Why
aren’t Americans making these beneficial breaks a part of their
everyday routine more often? Survey respondents who rarely or never
engage in activities that support their mental health cite being too
busy (34%) and being a caregiver for a loved one (36%) as barriers.
Nearly one-quarter (24%) of these respondents say they simply don’t know
how to support their mental health.
The
study shows that certain segments of Americans are more affected by
these barriers. For instance, the survey indicates that one in three
mothers (32%) never or rarely2 spend time improving or maintaining their
mental/emotional health, despite reporting lower levels of mental
health than fathers.
Almost
half of mothers (43%) rate their mental health as average or low,
compared to 26% of fathers who said the same. Similarly, 17% of mothers
report their mental health as “excellent,” compared to 33% of fathers
who said the same.
The survey also uncovered these additional results:
- Sex is rejuvenating for men; not so much for women. Men are more likely to find having sex as refreshing after a long day
(54%) than women (36%). When it comes to fathers and mothers, that gap
widens, with 65% of dads finding sex to be rejuvenating, compared to 44%
of moms. Women say they are likely to find more solitary activities as
restorative, like reading a good book (63%) or lighting a candle (48%).
- Working can have a positive impact on your mental health. Despite the demands of balancing working outside the home and
parenting, working parents report higher levels of mental/emotional
health than nonworking parents. About seven in 10 (69%) of working
parents rate their mental/emotional health as strong, compared to 55% of
nonworking parents. Additionally, working parents are more likely to
feel happy, fulfilled, refreshed and productive on a weekly basis.
- …but working does take an emotional toll. Despite being happier, working parents also report higher levels of
exhaustion (65%) and anger (42%) on an at least weekly basis, compared
to nonworking parents, 52% and 31%, respectively.
- Investing in employees’ mental health pays off. Roughly half (53%) of those with strong mental health said their
employer considers mental health days part of PTO, compared to 32% of
those with low mental health.
About this mindfulness research news
Author: Press Office
Source: Cleveland Clinic
Contact: Press Office – Cleveland Clinic
Image: The image is in the public domain
