Has The COVID-19 Pandemic Made Us More Health Aware?

27.04.2021

The COVID-19 pandemic is a period in our lives we’re unlikely to forget; a year of restrictions, mental and physical challenges and a complete shift in what we would consider ‘normal’. Lockdown forced us to stay at home, but it also forced many of us to make health a priority. We have been staying at home not only to protect ourselves, but to protect everyone in society. With more time on our hands, it has led to many of us thinking about our own health more than ever before. Lockdown has been a time for self-reflection and analysis of what we can do better to improve our physical and mental wellbeing.

During the first lockdown in March 2020, the number of people running outdoors in England was up by 731,000, not to mention that the popularity of home workouts soared. That was then, but what is life like now? For many people around the world, COVID-19 has been the kickstarter that made health and wellness a priority within their lives. The pandemic has shifted our mindset permanently, changing our perspective on what is important in life. In this article, we’ll explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has made society more health aware, and what we can do to ensure our own health remains one of our top priorities in the future.

Changing attitudes towards health

A key lesson many of us have learnt from the past 12 months is to take our health more seriously. This has been reflected in our actions, in fact, our average daily exercise minutes have increased 43% and food logs have also increased 49%, showing that more people than ever are making a conscious effort to make healthier choices.

But how have our attitudes towards health changed? Many of us have realised we took our health for granted pre-pandemic. Now, 65% of Europeans are likely to consider their health in day-to-day decision-making, and 68% of those surveyed in the UK are now taking extra precautions to actively avoid illness transmission. In some ways, the pandemic has made us realise we are only human, and we need to do more to look after ourselves in order to live a longer, happier and healthier life.

Making positive life changes for the benefit of our health

With law enforced lockdown restrictions and soaring covid cases, much of what has gone on over the last 12 months has been out of our control. So in response to this, people looked for what they could do to take their health into their own hands. In other words, doing something to gain some control back.

From over 1 million people in the UK giving up smoking since the pandemic began, to record-breaking numbers taking place in Veganuary in January 2021 than ever before; people have been developing healthier habits in their daily lives. Mental health has also been a priority for many, with downloads of wellbeing apps growing to record levels. In the early stages of the pandemic, people were unable to access routine health appointments; in a time where health anxiety levels were high, people looked to other ways to maintain and improve their health.

Employers changing their approach to health & wellbeing

Not only have we become more health aware in our personal lives, but also within our working lives. For many of us, our homes have become our new offices, making it increasingly difficult to differentiate between home-life and work-life. According to research by Unum, more than four-fifths (86%) of businesses are changing their approach to employee health and wellbeing due to the pandemic.

A growing number of corporate businesses believe in the importance of offering preventative wellbeing measures to staff, as well as placing more emphasis on keeping employees fit and healthy. If you are looking to provide high-quality corporate health and wellbeing services for your staff, LycaHealth can help. Our modern, state-of-the-art clinics have been specially designed and built to provide a complete luxury private healthcare experience. Whether you’re looking for preventative health measures such as corporate health assessments to put your business at the forefront of employee benefits, or corporate GP appointments to give employees rapid access to healthcare, we can help. If you would like to find out more information about our corporate services, please call 02071321440 or email enquiries@lycahealth.com.

How can you make your health a top priority?

As many as 77% of UK adults will take their health into their own hands in order to relieve pressure on healthcare systems. This shows the important role private healthcare providers are playing at this time. As a private healthcare provider ourselves, we provide access to efficient diagnosis and treatment, allowing you to bypass the backlog within the National Health Service.

We offer a range of preventative healthcare services, one of our most popular offerings being our personalised, premium health assessments. After all, early intervention will make all the difference to your personal health. As well as providing you with detailed insight into your overall health and wellbeing, we are able to evaluate your personal risk factors. Together, we will put a preventive health strategy in place that’s personally tailored to your needs.

The pandemic has certainly taught us a lot. One of the positives we can take from this time is the newfound respect we have for our health. Why not get started on your new health journey today? Get in touch with the team at LycaHealth.

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