Americans only feel relaxed minutes per day

Chill out, America.

United States adults say they only feel relaxed approximately 40 minutes per day, on average, with 47% claiming they get even fewer minutes of peace than that, according to a new “self-care” poll.

The survey, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Sensodyne, asked 2,000 participants about their self-care habits and revealed that more than half of them consider it a priority and spend an average of 38 minutes per day on those efforts — although 15% were prepared to spend over an hour on themselves.

However, the ways individuals define “self-care” are vast, the poll found. In the top spot, 36% of respondents said that meant getting in a workout; for 35%, it was listening to music; and for a downright ascetic 33%, simply flossing qualified as “me time.”

Long showers, baths and complex skin care routines were among other top-ranked wellness routines, as well as a long sofa session with a favorite TV show or movie.

Of the more productive self-care habits, three in 10 liked to unwind with a good book, while journaling — indeed, work to some — ranked at the bottom of the pack, as just 23% found it to be a relaxing activity.

There are barriers to achieving the ultimate self, according to 52%, who said their tenuous finances were holding them back, while 42% simply lacked the motivation. Reassuringly, 72% agreed that the pandemic had prompted them to take more interest in personal wellness.

While investing over 200 hours per year on self-care, according to the survey, it’s important to consider the environmental impact of these endeavors, said Stephanie Hernandez, a senior brand manager and spokesperson for Sensodyne, who commissioned the study.

“It’s important to make real, positive impacts on the environment, when possible — especially when it comes to products that are being used on a daily basis,” Hernandez said in a statement to South West New Service.

Most respondents, around 70%, said they are worried about the health of the planet, and 67% reported doing their best to be environmentally conscious during self-care, such as turning off the faucet when brushing their teeth (42%), not letting the water run while washing their dishes (39%) and purchasing recycled and recyclable products (36%).

“According to the survey, 64% of Americans said that sometimes their self-care habits make it hard to be environmentally friendly,” added Hernandez. “Making small swaps to a routine like using a recyclable tube and recyclable carton can help maintain a healthy balance of being environmentally conscious while having an effective self-care regime.”

America’s favorite self-care habits:

• Exercising: 36%
• Listening to music: 35%
• Going on a walk: 33%
• Flossing/brushing teeth: 33%
• Watching my favorite TV show/movie: 32%
• Taking a long shower: 32%
• Doing a skin care routine: 32%
• Taking a bath: 30%
• Reading: 30%
• Meditating: 28%
• Listening to a podcast: 27%
• Journaling: 23%