Brits spend FIVE YEARS of their life stressed – raising risk of infertility, obesity and heart disease
A new study says we're stressed out for an average of two hours and 11 minutes every day
SHOCKING new research has revealed the average Brit spends more than five years of their lives plagued by stress.
A study of 2,000 people found running late, getting stuck in traffic and health problems are all top causes of stress - meaning we're stressed out for an average of two hours and 11 minutes every day.
This adds up to 33 days each year - or a whopping five years and six months over the average adult lifetime.
Alarmingly, 63 per cent of those surveyed claimed to have had days where they felt stressed from the moment they woke up until the moment they went to sleep.
Meanwhile, the peak age for stress is 36 - and 62 per cent said their health is affected by stress.
Stress can lead to a number of potentially serious health issues - including obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
It can also put your mental health at risk, as it is connected with depression and anxiety.
As well as this, NHS guidelines warn losing sleep as a result of stress can also increase your risk of developing these conditions - as well as affecting your fertility, sex drive, and immune system.
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And being stressed out doesn't just put you at risk of health problems - as 31 per cent of those questioned admitted to making mistakes at work, while 45 per cent revealed stress has led to relationship problems.
Meanwhile, others reported stress had caused them to cancel a night out with friends, shout at their children more than usual, and even go off sex.
Alison Cullen, a spokesman for A.Vogel - who commissioned the research - said: “Ongoing stress causes the body to put everything on hold except immediate survival.
"Areas such as fertility, detoxing, and immune cells patrolling to check for infections are neglected.
"The result is more cold and flu infections, which in turn cause more stress.
The top ten causes of stress
1. Being late
2. Running out of time
3. Getting stuck in traffic
4. Health issues
5. A family member's health issues
6. Meeting deadlines
7. Not being able to afford things
8. Putting on weight
9. Cold calls
10. Being in debt
"Many people neglect their health because their schedules are so pressurised; ironically, though, spending a little time on your health can save spending a lot of time being ill.”
Dr Margaret Ritchie, Associate Lecturer at the University of the West of Scotland added: ‘When our bodies experience stress, especially ongoing stress which the survey highlights, it affects the biochemistry and simply put, causes inflammation that impacts on our immunity resulting in our body being more susceptible to flu and colds as winter settles in.”