1. You’re Not Too Young for Preventive Screenings
But recent survey data suggests that millennials are more likely to forgo screenings than Gen Xers and baby boomers.
“Many millennials operate under the assumption that youth equals invincibility,” says Steven Goldberg, MD, a primary care physician with University of Louisville Health and the chief medical officer at the PCR-testing company HealthTrackRx in Louisville, Kentucky. “Without symptoms, screenings feel unnecessary or even anxiety inducing, and there’s often a knowledge gap about which screenings are age appropriate.”
To get ahead of this concerning trend, Emily Cleveland Manchanda, MD, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and a physician at Boston Medical Center in Massachusetts, advises scheduling an annual wellness visit and creating a health calendar in partnership with your provider, highlighting key dates for screenings, blood work, and vaccines tailored to individual risk factors like age, lifestyle, and family history.
“Keeping this calendar up to date lets you stay an active part of managing your own health,” she says.
2. Baseline Health Metrics Matter
Establishing baseline measurements for blood pressure, cholesterol, and other key health indicators in earlier adulthood creates reference points for detecting problematic changes over time, Dr. Goldberg says.
It’s difficult to maintain this information without a consistent primary care provider or annual visits, which just 32 percent of millennial men report participating in, versus 61 percent of Gen Xers and baby boomers, in a Cleveland Clinic survey of 1,000 male adults.
Goldberg suggests that millennials get started now by accessing all their test results, even if they’re normal. This data is often available on patient portals, but you can also ask your current and former doctors to send you a digital or physical copy of your personal health file. It’s important to share this info with future providers for continuity of care.
3. Mental Health Is Part of Physical Health
Mental and physical health are closely connected, with evidence linking conditions like depression with an increased risk of conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
This could be concerning for millennials, who along with the younger Gen Zers, were more likely than those in older generations to report having worse mental health outcomes and partaking in unhealthy coping behaviors, according to a study on mental health symptoms in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Millennials may minimize their mental health symptoms as just stress, rather than recognizing them as treatable medical conditions requiring professional intervention,” Goldberg says.
If self-care practices that support well-being — like exercise, meditation, and daily gratitude — aren’t enough, or if severe or distressing mental health symptoms last two weeks or more, it’s time to see a provider, Dr. Cleveland Manchanda says.
“Seeking professional support with counseling, medications, or other interventions is also critical to taking care of your body,” she says.
Goldberg recommends asking your doctor, ‘What’s the single most important lifestyle change for my health?’
4. Burnout Is a Medical Issue
Research links burnout, a syndrome resulting from chronic, unmanageable work-related stress, with chronic issues like heart disease, depression, and insomnia.
While anyone can experience it, 66 percent of millennials reported moderate or high rates of burnout in an Aflac survey, which is more than other generations reported.
“Hustle culture and the pressure to optimize every aspect of life make burnout feel like a personal failure rather than a medical problem, and many millennials work in environments that reward overwork and lack boundaries,” Goldberg says.
He recommends learning the clinical signs of burnout — such as chronic fatigue, detachment from work or relationships, and physical symptoms like headaches and frequent illness — and discussing them with your doctor, who can work with you to explore options such as medical leave, therapy, medication, and other interventions.
5. Small Lifestyle Changes Now Prevent Big Problems Later
Serious health issues are often years in the making, so taking preventive steps now — like eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly — can be more effective and less costly in the long run.
For example, research suggests a link between sticking to disease prevention tactics, like exercising and limiting red meat consumption, and a lower risk of developing more than a dozen lifestyle-related cancers, such as colorectal and liver cancers.
For millennials who feel that the consequences of unhealthy habits are distant and abstract now, Goldberg recommends asking your doctor, “What’s the single most important lifestyle change for my health?” Data suggests that making small habit changes like taking the stairs daily can help build momentum to optimize health.
6. Metabolic Health Matters Before You Have Symptoms
Millennials may already be experiencing the effects of poor metabolic health.
Evidence suggests that this group has a higher risk of diabetes and obesity than Gen Xers.
“Millennials may lack education about what metabolic health means beyond weight, and the absence of symptoms can lead to false reassurance,” Goldberg says.
Cleveland Manchanda emphasizes the importance of regular screenings for high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and cholesterol to identify issues before damage occurs. “When detected early, many of these problems can be treated without medication or invasive procedures, preventing long-term consequences like heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and blindness.”
7. Sleep Isn’t Negotiable
According to a recent Gallup poll, millennials are the least likely generation to report getting enough sleep.
And getting enough sleep is a factor in reducing the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease and stroke.
Research hasn’t pinned down an exact reason behind these poor sleep outcomes, but at least one industry survey suggests that stress and financial worries are possible contributors.
“Sleep is basically a shower for your brain,” Cleveland Manchanda says. “When you get enough sleep, your brain processes information and directs your body in ways that are better for both your physical and mental health.”
To improve your slumber, she recommends aiming for at least seven hours per night, avoiding alcohol and caffeine in the hours prior to sleep, and limiting screens close to bedtime.
Any persistent sleep-related concerns should be discussed with a healthcare provider to identify underlying issues.
8. Wearables and Apps Are Tools, Not Replacements
A survey from CareCredit, a financial company that offers a credit card specifically for health and wellness expenses, shows that more than two-thirds of millennial consumers used wearable health tech or apps to track their health.
While these tools can help increase awareness, monitor trends, and motivate behavior change, they can’t replace professional medical advice, Goldberg says.
Though the convenience of health monitoring without appointments may appeal to millennials, physicians warn that your smartwatch has accuracy limitations, like for heart rate.
“Overreliance on apps can lead to health anxiety, missed severe symptoms, and delayed care,” Goldberg says. He recommends tech use for gathering trend data, such as logging steps or activity levels, rather than obsessing over daily fluctuations. From there, pass along any concerning patterns to your physician.
“Technology is most valuable when shared with your doctor as additional data, not as a self-diagnosis,” he says.
9. Virtual Visits Aren’t the Only Way to Check In With Your Clinician
Data suggests that millennials prefer quick, convenient, and sometimes virtual medical care.
And if telehealth visits weren’t offered going forward, 44 percent of millennials would consider switching providers, according to a 2021 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society survey.
Goldberg points out that virtual appointments can remove access barriers — like needing to take a sick day and commuting to the doctor’s office — for some millennial patients.
And physicians generally agree that virtual visits are appropriate for brief or straightforward follow-ups, like medication management.
But consistently relying on virtual visits can interfere with in-person visual cues that a physician may use to inform care.
This might be a change in gait that could indicate a neurologic disease, for example.
“Schedule in-person visits for annual physicals, new symptoms you’re worried about, and anything requiring physical examination,” Goldberg says, noting that the provider’s office can help determine whether you should be seen in person if you’re unsure.
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