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Gustavo Fring<\/p>\n
The average American has felt mentally \u201chalf present\u201d 67 days over the past year, according to new research<\/a>.<\/p>\n The survey of 2,000 U.S. adults revealed that people experience this at least once per week, or an average of 5.6 days per month.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Defined as \u201cthinking about tasks other than what\u2019s at hand, feeling too exhausted to be fully invested in what\u2019s happening or not giving full attention to tasks, people, etc.,\u201d Gen Z feels \u201chalf present\u201d for nearly twice as many days as baby boomers this year (84 days vs. 46).<\/p>\n But across generations, the same thing was found to be causing this.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Lack of sleep was the No. 1 thing that prevented Americans, of all ages, from being fully present (39%).\u00a0<\/p>\n (Talker Research)<\/p>\n By Talker<\/p>\n From there, it varied based on generation: Gen Z felt plagued by phone notifications (26%) and even relationship concerns (20%). Millennials battled issues like burnout (28%) and headaches (26%), while the older generations grappled with financial concerns (32% of Gen X and 40% of baby boomers).<\/p>\n While lack of sleep was identified as the most common cause of feeling \u201chalf present,\u201d the survey also found that its effects are immediate, often impacting respondents the very next day.<\/p>\n After a poor night\u2019s sleep, those polled are noticeably less focused (33%), less patient (27%) and less present (24%). They\u2019re also not as mentally sharp (28%) and not able to perform at their highest caliber at work (22%).<\/p>\n Respondents shared personal horror stories stemming from simply being too tired: dozing off at work, missing deadlines and appointments, forgetting to pick their child up from school and even getting into the wrong car in a parking lot.<\/p>\n Commissioned by Mucinex Recharge<\/a>, a nighttime cold and flu medicine, and conducted by Talker Research, the survey explored not only the role sleep plays in Americans\u2019 everyday lives, but also the large impact it has on feeling recharged and ready to take on the next day when they\u2019re battling cold and flu symptoms.<\/p>\n (Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich via Pexels)<\/p>\n By Talker<\/p>\n Only 28% of respondents get five hours of sleep or less when they\u2019re feeling healthy, but when cold and flu symptoms strike, that number nearly doubles to 55%.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s not just quantity they\u2019re sacrificing; it\u2019s also quality. When sick, 83% experience poor sleep at least some nights, with 26% admitting it\u2019s every night.<\/p>\n \u201cAccording to the results, resting (44%) and a good night\u2019s sleep (37%), along with taking over-the-counter medications (38%), are a few of the top ways respondents alleviate cold and flu symptoms at night,\u201d said Henry Turgoose, VP of Upper Respiratory at Reckitt. \u201cGetting plenty of sleep while sick is imperative alongside taking the proper medications that will aid in symptom relief for a restful night\u2019s sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n Though most respondents (61%) agree that it\u2019s no longer taboo to take off work when you don\u2019t feel well, the likelihood of actually doing so decreases with age.<\/p>\n Two in five Gen Z (41%) are \u201cvery likely\u201d to take time off from life\u2019s responsibilities when they start to feel cold and flu symptoms, along with 34% of millennials, 25% of Gen X and just 18% of baby boomers.<\/p>\n Kelly Sikkema<\/p>\n By Talker<\/p>\n And it\u2019s not just life admin tasks that take a hit when sickness strikes. Many respondents have had to cancel plans they\u2019d really been looking forward to (32%).<\/p>\n Gen Z and millennial respondents were the most likely to have had an unnecessary argument with someone (29% and 21% respectively), missed a loved one\u2019s important event (26% and 20%) or even lost a large sum of money (27% and 20%) due to being sick.<\/p>\n This may be why 61% of all respondents feel like they always get sick at the worst possible time.<\/p>\n \u201cGetting sick is rarely convenient and there\u2019s never a \u2018right\u2019 time to deal with cold and flu symptoms,\u201d said Turgoose. \u201cThat\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to ensure you\u2019re setting yourself up with the right tools to ensure you\u2019re putting your symptoms at bay and getting a quality night\u2019s sleep to recharge at night so that you can conquer tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n Research methodology:<\/p>\n Talker Research surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Mucinex and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Sept. 18 and Sept. 25, 2026. A link to the questionnaire can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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