A new study has found that the average parent wastes 36 minutes a day in a state of ‘brain fog’—totalling nearly 4000 hours of their lifetime spent checked out and on autopilot as the world happens around them. Of the parents surveyed, six in 10 say that consistent lack of sleep results in low energy and a general ‘blur’ that accompanies their day to day tasks. Many of the participants cited this blur as the reason they skip meals, don’t properly hydrate, and often have difficulty remembering events like birthdays.
Working parents rely on caffeinated beverages like coffee or energy drinks to get through the study-wide 2pm hump of exhaustion, however nearly 60% of participants state that even with the stimulant they feel like they’ll never be fully energized again. This permeating exhaustion is the cause of the nearly 219 hours per year parents waste in a haze. Participants across the board state that reclaiming their energy is a priority for them to be more active with their families and more productive at their workplaces.
“Parents, especially those who are working, are juggling multiple tasks and so don’t always take the time to address their health needs,” says a spokesperson from MitoQ. This can have long term effects on cognitive function if not addressed, and can affect overall quality of life.