But with nearly 50% of the U.S. population having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, there’s finally a feeling of hope that the end of the pandemic is near. And while it’s hard to find silver linings in a year filled with so much loss and devastation, the pandemic revealed some vulnerabilities that weren’t as clear before 2020 happened, providing us with clues as to where we should focus our efforts as we move forward. According to the results of our annual Healthy Now survey in partnership with Cleveland Clinic and Ipsos, as we come up for air post-pandemic, it’s clear that we’re going to need to do some work to get our physical and mental health back on track. From prioritizing sleep to getting back to the doctor for a checkup ASAP, here’s everything you need to know about the lessons we learned from the pandemic—and where we’ll need to go from here.
Some people actually managed to thrive during the pandemic, especially from an exercise standpoint
First, some good news: Our health didn’t take a total nosedive during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, of the 1,000 adults surveyed in April 2021, more than two-thirds of respondents said they walked for at least 30 minutes every day, which is in line with CDC recommendations for daily movement. Additionally, 68% of people said they stood up to take breaks to stand up and move around every 30 minutes during the workday, and 58% make time for exercise. We’re struggling with some physical tasks, though, like touching our toes (1/3 of survey respondents struggle with this), standing on one leg (20% of survey respondents struggle with this), and getting up from a chair (19% of respondents struggle with this).
We’re not doing as well with our diets
Survey respondents have every intention of eating well: 81% of them say they make a conscious effort to eat more vegetables, and 66% said that when they snack, they try to eat healthy foods. That’s the positive news. The not-so-good news? Only 46% of respondents said they eat at least one green vegetable every day, and 69% of respondents said that when they snack, they treat themselves to whatever they want—and 57% of respondents snack when they’re stressed. And despite the emphasis on plant-based diets in recent years, about half of Americans think a meal isn’t satisfying unless it has meat in it. While meat can be part of a healthy diet, consumption of red meat is correlated with an increased risk of heart disease, which is worth taking into account.
We know how to get enough sleep, we’re just not doing it
Sleep struggles are nothing new, with one in three adults saying they don’t get enough sleep, according to the CDC. The pandemic has made that number creep up, according to our survey data, with 46% of respondents saying they don’t get enough sleep. Interestingly, though, 40% of respondents say they do know how to get better sleep, they’re just not doing it. Those under 35 are particularly guilty of skipping good sleep practices, with a whopping 87% saying they sleep with their cell phones in their rooms, and 71% saying they watch TV in bed.
We don’t know enough about our own health
With the pandemic, many of us (understandably) admitted to being nervous about seeing a healthcare provider due to worries around COVID-19. 37% of people admitted that they had delayed seeing their doctor over the past year, but 65% say they feel more comfortable now. It’s good that we’re all starting to feel more comfortable with the idea of going to the doctor because we have some catching up to do: 60% of respondents say they don’t know their BMI, and 62% say they don’t know their last blood sugar reading. Additionally, 55% didn’t know their last cholesterol reading, 42% didn’t know their blood type, and 43% didn’t know their last blood pressure reading.
… But we truly trust our healthcare providers
We may have skipped a few too many doctors’ visits over the past year, but 85% of respondents say they have a primary care provider, and trust in them is deep. 94% of people said they felt comfortable asking their healthcare provider a question when they didn’t understand something, and 93% felt listened to and supported by their doctor. Additionally, 62% said their healthcare provider was their top source of health information (well ahead of healthcare organization websites at 35% and television news at 18%), and 90% believe they can confide in their healthcare provider about sensitive health issues.
From a mental health and connection perspective, we have some work to do
It probably doesn’t come as a shock that this year was tough from a mental health standpoint and that our relationships didn’t exactly flourish. 37% of people said they often went a full day without speaking to anyone in real life or by phone, and that number was even higher for those under age 35, at 45%. 61% turned to social media platforms to communicate with family and friends through likes and comments, and 30% of people admitted to feeling depressed, inadequate, or left out after spending time on social media. Additionally, the proportion of people who say their social life has gotten worse since the beginning of the pandemic significantly outweighs the amount who say it’s gotten better, and a quarter of people say they feel less resilient than they did at the beginning of the pandemic.
When it comes to building resilience reserves, prevention is key
It’s been a tough year. Understandably, most of us are still reeling from it—but the good news is, we’re now feeling safer about resuming preventative care visits, have every intention of eating a healthier diet, want to limit the amount of time we spend on social media, and more—we just need the tools to do it. Below, Dr. Neha Vyas, MD, a physician in the Department of Family Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, shares her best tips for taking action.
Reach out to your doctor to figure out which services can help you get back on track
While the pandemic impacted each of us differently, there are a handful of services available that can help you get back on track. “[The pandemic] brings to light the need for all types of mental health services as well as our support staff in meeting such as social workers and nutritionists—all of these types of vocations are going to be important in helping American get back on track," says Dr. Vyas.
Focus on activities that don’t involve a screen
Now that more of us are vaccinated and cases are falling in the U.S., try to choose activities that get you away from a screen and off of social media and foster connection. “We know there’s a certain healthy amount of social media, and too much of it can lead to loneliness, anger … so it’s really important to remember to take breaks from the social media and screen time in general," says Dr. Vyas. “Focus that time on non-screen-related activities. Get back to nature, exercise—and remember to interact with people in real-time. Go on walks, meet up in an outdoor, socially distant environment. We need those interactions.”
Ask your doctor to put certain health numbers into context
It makes sense that it’s hard to remember a certain number—who has time to memorize all that information? That’s why Dr. Vyas suggests asking your doctor to put certain important numbers into context. “Have a conversation with your primary care doctor,” says Dr. Vyas. “Your healthcare provider can give you a context for these numbers so you can remember them. For instance, for my patients, I teach them their cholesterol numbers on the basis of their overall risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke in a period of time, so it really puts those numbers in context for them and it’s not an instance where they just have to memorize a number. They really understand how this number is relevant to their daily lives.”
Take advantage of telemedicine
Telemedicine is an excellent tool that can help you get your health back on track sooner rather than later. “Telemedicine is here to stay, and that’s a good thing because it gives patients another way of communicating with providers," says Dr. Vyas. “It can be especially helpful if you’re not local or have a concern that you won’t be able to come into the office for … for instance, many mental health concerns can be evaluated through a telehealth format.”
Figure out what diet works best for you
There are a lot of diet options out there. But according to Dr. Vyas, if you’re trying to get your diet and vegetable intake back on track, the best diet probably isn’t going to be a fad diet. “This is where you can talk to your primary care physician and discuss the best diet for you,” she says. “There are some gaps we need to address, which is why Americans are not incorporate vegetables in their diet. We know incorporating vegetables can lead to lower rates of certain cancers, but we need to address the why.” Need more resources? Here are the top health facts you should know Here’s how to reconnect with friends after COVID Here are the top signs that you’re drinking too much (and what to do about it) Here’s how to build resilience Here’s how to learn from (rather than ruminate on) your mistakes
Sources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): “How Much Physical Activity Do Adults Need?“The BMJ: “Red meat intake and risk of coronary heart disease among US men: prospective cohort study"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): “1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep"Dr. Neha Vyas, MD, the physician in the Department of Family Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic
