Snot so bad! Survey reveals 3 in 10 adults actually ‘enjoy’ being sick

NEW YORK — Many Americans are so overworked and busy that they actually look forward to getting a cold, believe it or not. In a survey of 2,300 adults by cold relief company Theraflu, about three in ten (29%) admitted they enjoy getting sick. The primary reason? Simply to get a day off from work and other responsibilities.

Life can be busy and hectic for everyone, especially during the holidays. That’s why, according to the survey, almost 40% of respondents view becoming sick as an opportunity to focus on themselves and slow down for a little while.

The survey found some other benefits to being sick as well; over a third of respondents said that coming down with the flu or a cold allows them to finally catch up on some much-needed sleep. Other benefits included resting all day (34%), binging shows on Netflix or other streaming platforms (26%), skipping out on work (24%), and getting some “me time” (23%).

A full quarter of respondents even said they enjoy reverting back to their childhood while sick, in the sense that they become dependent on others to care for them.

The survey also examined common practices Americans engage in to feel better while sick. The biggest comfort was being in bed (58%), followed by eating soup (49%), watching old movies or TV shows (39%), drinking hot liquids (34%), and having a cup of tea (32%).

“While no one prefers to be sick, sometimes feeling under the weather forces people to slow down and focus on taking care of their health so they can get back to their routine,” says Theraflu Brand Manager Tamara Savitz in a statement.

Despite these findings, many other survey respondents indicated that they actively try to power through their illness and not let it slow them down. In fact, nearly half of all respondents said they like to stay productive while sick, with a great deal stating they enjoy catching up on household cleaning chores while under the weather. Finishing up a nagging project was another popular sick day activity, as well as running errands and exercising.

Of course, there are those who ignore their symptoms all together and still go in to work when sick. If you enjoy being under the weather, then perhaps you’re one of the few who can actually thank these individuals.

The survey was conducted by OnePoll.

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