CSS study says Switzerland is tired, lonely and sick

A new study from CSS has revealed that people in Switzerland feel less healthy compared to five years ago, suffer from poor sleep, and are lonely. The picture is worse among the younger population.

Only 11 percent of the Swiss population feels very healthy

CSS, a health insurance provider in Switzerland, has released its latest study, which found that “the negative trend in the Swiss population's perceived health continues”.

The Sotomo research institute, together with CSS, has been conducting research for the past six years. The latest study surveyed 2.807 people between 18 and 65 years old across Switzerland. While last year’s survey saw some slight improvements, this year’s report seems to indicate the “Swiss feel sicker than ever”, says Blick.

Only 11 percent of respondents in the survey said they currently feel very healthy, half the amount compared to 22 percent who answered the same in 2020. 36 percent of people often felt ill or unwell in the past year, attributing the feeling to exhaustion and fatigue (69 percent), pain (49 percent), and stress (41 percent).

People in Switzerland suffer from poor sleep and loneliness

A whopping 70 percent of 18 to 35-year-olds felt exhausted due to poor sleep in the past year, reporting difficulty with concentration, motivation and social interactions as a result. The picture is worse among young adults, with 49 percent reporting that they often wake up feeling unrefreshed.

Along with poor sleep, loneliness was a common theme across Switzerland. One in five people reported feeling lonely, with the figure higher among people under the age of 36 and lower among people over 65.

The study also highlights a “perceived pressure to be permanently healthy and productive”. Social media, smartphones, and health devices make this worse as they “can encourage a more health-conscious lifestyle, but at the same time, it carries the risk of increasing the pressure for constant self-optimisation”, says CSS.

The survey touched on topics like the use of AI, weight loss medication, and life expectancy. You can read the full CSS health report here.