Cigna Study: More Stressed + Less Rested + Less Family & Friends Time = America

Cigna has released their 2019 360 Well Being Survey: Well and Beyond, a 15-page report “that explores perceptions of well-being across five key indicators – physical, family, social, financial and work – in 22 countries, including the United States.” Their findings indicate applicable measure for the U.S. are all getting worse – not better. Jose Quesada, Cigna’s Chief Medical Officer, International Markets tells us “we’re seeing high incidences of stress, poor sleep quality and less time connecting with loved ones, which all can have a profound impact on one’s physical health.”

Overall the study found "the global well-being index remained largely steady at 62.0 points, closer to 2017 levels, with a marginal improvement from 2018’s decline;" and that "geographically, India, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Indonesia showed the strongest improvement in overall wellness with a rise of between 2.1 and 4.4 points, while the US, New Zealand, Taiwan and Singapore showed slight drops, with New Zealand reporting the largest fall." 

The survey results for Americans include:

• Only 28% reported being at a healthy weight
• 33% know their Body Mass Index (BMI)
• 60%+ know their blood pressure
• Four of five Americans report feeling stressed
• Only 25% report employer assistance/support f in managing stress – down 17% from 2018
• 61% said their employer did not provide or sponsor any workplace wellness program
• Only 35% report they get sufficient sleep at night, down six points from 2017
• 32% report having “good quality sleep,” down eight points from 2017
• 45% attested to feeling excellent/very good about the amount of time spent with family, compared to 51% in 2017
• 62% of Americans spend sufficient time with friends, down five points from 2018