From getting into a scorching hot car to battling flies on a summer’s day, new research has revealed the ‘everyday headaches’ Australians could happily live without.
New research commissioned by Australia’s most trusted pain relief brand1 Panadol, manufactured by Haleon, to mark the brand’s 70th year in Australia has revealed the everyday frustrations that get under Aussies’ skin and unite Australians.
When it comes to the bigger pressures of daily life, finances top the list, followed by health and wellbeing, household responsibilities and work or study.
However, the research showed it’s the smaller, distinctly Australian frustrations that really get under our skin, with summer and wildlife-related annoyances among the most common ‘everyday headaches’.2
Topping the list, 46% of Australians said hearing the buzz of a mosquito just as they go to bed was one of their biggest ‘everyday headaches’.
Hot cars and flies weren’t far behind, with 45% nominating getting into a car that has been sitting in the sun and 45% being swarmed by flies on a summer’s day.
Other familiar frustrations included swooping magpies (26%), finding a huntsman in the house before bed (20%), broken thongs on a hot summer walk (16%), melting ice cream (14%) and dodging bindis in the backyard (13%).
Lu and Jarch, stars of the We Mean Well podcast who took part in the ‘Everyday Headaches’ campaign said the findings were a pretty accurate reflection of the little things that can get under Australians’ skin.
”Everyone has those little things that do your head in – getting into a boiling hot car, a mozzie buzzing around your room or someone eating the leftovers you’d been looking forward to all day,” Lu said.
”None of these things are the end of the world, but in the moment, they can really frustrate you. What we love about the list is how Aussie it is. We’ve definitely experienced our fair share of them and a few more when recording the pod,” Jarch added.
The research also suggests what gets under our skin changes with age. Interestingly, Gen Z are particularly protective of their leftovers, with 36% saying someone eating the food they’d been thinking about all day is one of their biggest everyday annoyances – compared with just 20% of Millennials, 13% of Gen X and 11% of Baby Boomers.2
The research was commissioned by Panadol, as the brand marks 70 years of supporting Australians to relieve everyday pains, to better understand the everyday experiences, frustrations and pressures Australians navigate in daily life. Playing on the brand’s ‘That’s One for Panadol’ tagline, the campaign celebrates the shared frustrations and uniquely Australian moments that connect communities across the country, while recognising Panadol’s longstanding role in helping manage everyday pain.
Elena Pintado, Head of Pain at Haleon ANZ said: “For 70 years, Australians have trusted Panadol to help manage pain. This milestone was an opportunity to not only celebrate that history, but also to better understand the everyday experiences that shape the everyday lives of Aussies, from the pressures they face to the small frustrations that connect us all.”
”The research shows that while our ‘everyday headaches’ might differ, there are plenty of experiences – from the pressures they face, to the small frustrations that connect us all.”
Since 1956, Panadol has supported Australians in relieving everyday pains, helping them get back to the moments and experiences that matter.
Always read the label and follow the directions for use. Incorrect use could be harmful. Panadol tablets are for the temporary relief of pain.
Ends
About Haleon Haleon (LSE / NYSE: HLN) is a global leader in consumer health, with a purpose to deliver better everyday health with humanity. Haleon’s product portfolio spans six major categories – Oral Health, Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements (VMS), Pain Relief, Respiratory Health, Digestive Health and Therapeutic Skin Health and Other. Its long-standing brands – such as Panadol, Advil, Voltaren, Sensodyne, Centrum, Otrivin and Polident – are built on trusted science, innovation and deep human understanding.
References
Trusted Brands Australia 2026, Reader’s Digest. Available at: https://www.trustedbrands.com.au/#mostTrusted
- YouGov. Australia’s Biggest Everyday Headaches 2026. Data on file.
