Nov. 21, 2024 – Chances are, you spend more time at home now than you did five years ago.

Of course, many Americans now work from home (or hybrid-style). But dozens of other at-home activities are also on the rise, according to new survey data from the U.S. Census program. For the average American, it adds up to 66 minutes more at-home time daily, compared with 2019.

The trend stretches back to the early 2000s. And yes, COVID jolted things by a good bit. Loneliness is now an epidemic. Our time with technology hasn’t found its limit yet. And people are moving their bodies less than ever. It sounds bad. Yet increasing our time at home can create healthy opportunities, too. U.S. adults now get about 16 minutes more sleep, spend an extra six minutes on hobbies or relaxation, and eat at home for six more minutes daily, the survey found. “The trends really offer all of us an opportunity to pause, and to look at our own lives,” said Kara Parker, MD, a family medicine doctor who practices primary care at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis. “What is our balance at home, and outside of home? And who are we spending our time with, and where? Is the ‘where’ healthy for us, and how can we make it healthier? Is the ‘who’ healthy for us, and how do we make it healthier?”

These are questions worth visiting several times a year, and Parker suggests a seasonal evaluation. Start yours now. Restaurants have long since reopened, but Americans are still eating at home. That’s good because home cooking leads to healthier diets and fewer calories consumed. But it’s not so good if you’re wolfing down meals off-camera during video meetings or while binge-watching nine seasons of Suits. It can help to prioritize mealtime as a “mini recharge session” during the workday. “Commit to one meal a day without screens. Eating while looking at screens can lead to overeating, as it distracts us from hunger and fullness signals,” said Fernanda Brusamolin, EdD, MS, an assistant professor of nutrition and exercise at Bastyr University, which has campuses in California and Washington.

People are reporting more time doing hobbies and relaxing, and Parker believes this is directly related to the pandemic. “I see people choosing behaviors that they want to carry forward that they enjoyed from that time,” she said. That’s good: Relaxation triggers your parasympathetic nervous system – a part of your nervous system that decreases your heartbeat and helps you recover from stress. But there’s an important caveat: Scrolling is not relaxing.