Over a third of Brits (37%) admit to reaching peak fatigue in February.
February may be the shortest month of the year, but it certainly doesn’t feel that way to burned-out Britons, new research suggests. Forget the January Blues – a combination of the dreary winter months, Christmas hangover and the political climate means more Britons feel worn-out in February than any other month of the year, according to a new survey by AXA PPP Healthcare.
As a result of this February fatigue, a third (32%) say they are more unproductive and nearly six in 10 Brits (57%) feel they’re ‘wasting’ valuable time, throwing away an average of two hours and 22 minutes per day.
This equates to almost three whole days lost this month, purely due to sheer exhaustion getting the better of us. According to the poll of over 2,000 UK adults, shorter days (66%) and the colder weather (62%) are the top reasons for feeling weary in February, with a lack of sleep (33%) and financial consequences of Christmas (27%) also contributing towards Britain’s burn-out.
And with the UK’s departure from the EU still unresolved, it’s no surprise that almost one in five (19%) respondents who are fatigued claim Brexit alone as a factor in feeling so drained.
Despite being just two months into the year, a further 36% admit to already slipping into unhealthy habits as a result of fatigue – including avoiding exercise and opting for unhealthy meals. Another 44% claim to feel jaded even before they’ve begun the working day.
And it seems exhaustion is even set to spoil any hint of romance this Valentine’s Day, with 8.8 million Brits (17%) admitting to having less sex, a fifth (19%) not spending time with their partners and 14% arguing more.
When it comes to fighting fatigue, a caffeine fix is the most common course of action (30%) for the UK, although 21% turn to vitamin supplements to increase energy levels. The current trend for wellbeing and mindfulness can also be seen among those who plump for podcasts (20%), hit the gym (19%) or rely on yoga or meditation (7%).
Others prefer a more indulgent route out of exhaustion however, through the latest TV boxset (24%) or chocolate (17%).
When looking at different regions, it seems those in the South East feel more worn-out than anywhere else in the country, with 43% saying they are feeling more fatigued in February (compared to the national average of 36%) The top eleven most exhausted regions are:
- South East (43%)
- Wales (41%)
- East Midlands (40%)
- South West (40%)
- London (38%)
- East of England (38%)
- West Midlands (37%)
- North East (34%)
- Scotland (31%)
- Yorkshire & Humberside (31%)
- North West (30%)
The top 10 reasons for February Fatigue:
- Shorter days (66%)
- The cold weather (62%)
- Lack of sleep (33%)
- Financial impact from Christmas (27%)
- Brexit (19%)
- Cold and flu (17%)
- Less social activities (15%)
- Having no holidays to look forward to (14%)
- Valentine’s Day (6%)
- Struggling to keep up with New Year’s resolutions (6%)
