We’re stressed out, we can’t sleep, we’re drinking too much – and it’s getting worse.
Forty-eight percent of Americans say they’re more stressed now than they were five years ago, and the same percent report regularly lying awake at night because of stress, according to a new study by the American Psychological Association.
“Stress continues to escalate, and it’s affecting every area of people’s lives,” said Russ Newman, a psychologist and executive director of the APA.
So what is it we’re worrying about while we stare at the ceiling all night? Primarily two things: money and work, the main woes for nearly 75 percent of Americans. That’s way up from 59 percent of us stressed out over those two things a year ago.
We’re also worrying about making the rent. More than half of people polled say paying the landlord or making the monthly mortgage causes great stress.
Stress has always been a part of living and of life. Face it, we may have more things to stress about, but our ancestors had it much worse, being in life-and-death struggles for much of their lives.