Adults spend THREE HOURS a day on ‘me time’ and 50 percent say that is not enough

And one third have developed new self-care habits, including exercising more, eating better and taking more care of their skin. But 50 percent said they are still not getting as much me-time as they would like. The study was commissioned by Perrigo, which manufactures Niquitin, Nytol, XLS-Medical and Dermalex, to mark International Self-Care Day today.

It also found self-care is now a priority for seven in 10 adults in their daily routines. Laure de Brauer, a spokesman for Perrigo UK & Ireland, said: “The past few months have been a challenging time for all of us in so many ways.

“But the promising outcome from the experience is that we have learned to better listen to our bodies and minds to take better care of ourselves.

“The UK has seen the positive impact of having to switch from ‘healthcare’ to ‘self-care’ over the past few months which has, in turn, highlighted the important role of self-care and community pharmacy on our vital health system.

“It’s encouraging to see that, as a nation, we have recognised the benefits of forming healthier habits and that we’re keen to keep this going.”

But the research also found that despite the surge in self-care among those polled, there are still a number of barriers preventing them from prioritising me-time as much as they would like.

These include having too many commitments (43 percent), being a parent (39 percent) and having trouble switching off (37 percent).

Long working hours (35 percent) is also a factor, as is feeling guilty about having “me time” (30 percent).

The study also revealed some of the specific ways those polled have taken to improve their wellbeing.

Prior to the lockdown, 21 percent of adults smoked, but since the restrictions were brought in, 19 percent have managed to kick the habit, while a third have cut down.

And a quarter of adults who exercised prior to the restrictions have been exercising even more in recent months and 12 percent of those who didn’t exercise before lockdown now do.

But there are aspects of their lifestyles which have proved to be especially challenging during the past few months.

Six in 10 of those polled via OnePoll said they’re struggling to sleep and a fifth have difficulty nodding off “most nights” amid worries about the pandemic (31 percent) and the health of loved ones (29 percent).

More than half of those with skin conditions such as dry or sensitive skin, psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, and acne have endured more flare-ups than usual recently.

Like those who have been having trouble sleeping, 47 percent think anxieties relating to the pandemic are to blame.

Laure de Brauer added: “Our study shows that 66 percent of adults in the UK now seem to be thriving when it comes to self-care and believe they are ‘good’ at understanding what their body and mind needs in order to stay healthy.

“The experience of lockdown showed us how resilient and adaptable we can be and that, with the right support , we can look after ourselves better than we thought.”

source: express.co.uk