New study reveals: Canadians aim to improve sleep and manage mental health as upcoming time change adds strain

Losing an hour of sleep with March 10^th time change may hinder those already struggling to cope.

TORONTO, Feb. 28, 2024 /CNW/ - Canadians are working harder than ever to strengthen their health and wellness, with sleep at the top of the list. A new study from Pearl Strategy and Innovation Design reports the number of people actively working to improve their sleep increased to 90% in 2023, a growth of +6Pts from 84% in 2020 and +4Pts from 86% in 2019.

Sleep concerns aren't the only thing keeping Canadians awake at night, worries about mental health and a desire to feel more energetic are also on the rise.

Top Wellness Concerns of Canadians (Pearl Strategy Health and Wellness Report 2024) (CNW Group/Pearl Strategy, Innovation and Design)

The upcoming time change on March 10^th, and the loss of an hour of sleep, strains an already challenged focus on well-being and questions the relevance of the change, despite the benefits of added day light and Vitamin D exposure.

According to Susan Weaver, Managing Director Strategy and Innovation for Pearl Strategy, "We know from interviewing Canadians post-pandemic, they are more proactive with self-care. They are actively seeking out information and products to help with foundational habits and learning how food can help them feel more energized."

In depth information gathered in December 2023, through The Pearl Health and Wellness study, reflects opinions from a thousand Canadians (1,015 sampled to be regionally representative, excluding Nunavut, Yukon and NWT) and confirms the desire for improved sleep, managing mental health and other broad aspects of health, wellness and consumption. The study was inclusive of Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers.  

"We make it our business to know what's on the minds of Canadians, that's why every year we check-in on wellness priorities, choices and habits. The Pearl study allows us to make some interesting correlations, like knowing that seven in 10 Canadians are more likely to consume foods with protein when working on their wellness, valuable insight for consumers or anyone in the food business," added Weaver. "With March being Nutrition Month, and stressful time of year for the seasonal time change, we wanted to make our findings broadly accessible for people and companies who are striving to lead healthier lives."

The study is available for free download (The Pearl Health and Wellness study) and some of the key report findings include:

Improving Sleep

• Women express higher concerns about lack of sleep (61% vs. 54%) and tiredness/lack of energy (58% vs. 52%) compared to men.
• Women prioritize improving sleep significantly more than men (55% vs. 49%).
• Gen Z places a high priority on sleep improvement (63%), surpassing Millennials (52%) and Gen X (48%).
• Millennials are notably concerned about lack of sleep (64%), indicating potential implications for their overall health and lifestyle.
• Top actions taken to improve sleep – take prescription medicine (54%), pursue self-care (48%), meditation (45%), pursue hobbies (44%) and reduce/avoid stressful situations (43%). Men are more likely to take actions to reduce/avoid stressful situations (50% vs. 38%) compared to women. Women are more likely to take prescription medicine (64% vs 53%) compared to Men. Gen Z are more likely to meet/socialize with friends (46%) compared to older generations.

Focus on Mental Health

• Mental health concerns jumped +6Pts in 2023 from 2020.
• Women rated mental health at 54% and avoid/reduce stress at 53% higher than men.
• Gen Z exhibits a notably higher emphasis on mental health (73%) and stress (71%).
• Top actions taken to improve mental health – pursue self-care (48%), spend time in nature/outdoor (48%), research health information (45%), pursue hobbies (44%) reduce/avoid stressful situations (43%) and visit a health and wellness professional (38%). Men are more likely to visit a health and wellness professional (42% vs 31%) compared to women. Gen X is less likely to research health information (37%) compared to younger generations.

Efforts to Build Energy/Vitality

• Women express a higher concern for tiredness/lack of energy (58% vs 52%) compared to men.
• Gen Z places a high importance on increasing energy (58%).
• Gen Z rates tiredness/lack of energy (60%) as a substantial health concern, aligning with their overall focus on mental health and well-being.
• Top actions taken to increase energy – pursue self-care (48%), exercise/physical activities (47%), Spend time in nature/outdoor (46%) and reduce/avoid stressful situations (44%). Men are more likely to engage in exercise/physical activities (55% vs 40%) compared to women to gain energy and women are more likely to meditation (46% vs 36%).

About Pearl Strategy and Innovation Design 

Pearl Strategy and Innovation Design is an insights, strategy, innovation, and design agency, established in 2010 and located in the Greater Toronto area. They design customized approaches to connect insights between markets, consumers, and brands to identify opportunity areas for maximum growth.

SOURCE Pearl Strategy, Innovation and Design

Jacki Nelson Shilletto, [email protected], 416 524 3502