More than one in five Brits feel stressed every day as hidden health costs revealed

Over one in five Brits say they feel stressed every single day, according to new research, with many complaining of a myriad of health problems as a result.

Key frustrations which are said to wear people down include running late, misplacing your mobile or work piling up. And when stress hits, health complaints include , sleeping less, shortness of breath, increased heart rate and even bloating. Now, new research, for Awareness Month, has revealed the hidden costs of everyday stressors. While 22% of Brits admit to feeling stressed every day, 36% say they have no major worries.

The survey, from VitalityHealth, found despite regularly feeling stressed, many are still unable to pinpoint an exact overarching cause. Small everyday frustrations, sometimes referred to as micro-stressors, that are quietly wearing them down. Micro-stressors are the small moments which seem like they should be manageable on their own but in reality, they elicit a stress response in our mind and bodies.

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It’s at work where many feel particularly impacted, with 51% saying even minor mistakes instantly send their stress levels soaring, and 26% being left overwhelmed by simply forgetting something on their to-do list. It’s not just when they're awake that people feel impacted, with 45% saying stress disrupts their, and 30% being left feeling severely tired.

A third of people admit to saying “I’m stressed” multiple times a day – but only a fifth actively talk to someone about how they are feeling. Instead of dealing with their feelings of stress, most brush it off, with over half believing their worries are too small to be worth mentioning.

Yetunde Bankole, Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing at Vitality, said: “Whether it's a micro stressor or big stressor they can build and leave you feeling out of control and impacting your wider mental and physical health.

“It's important to focus on helpful coping strategies to prevent our containers from overflowing and manage stress. Whether it be with tactics directed at addressing the emotions related to stress or whether techniques focused on reducing or eliminating that stressor such as problem-solving skills, or seeking resources/support.”

Tips to combat stress include, exercise regularly, practice mindfulness, acknowledge how you feel and reframe your thoughts and simply take a break for a few minutes.

Brits’ Top 10 Micro-Stressors include:

Life admin tasks piling up (37%)

Running late (31%)

Being stuck in a long queue (30%)

Work piling up (29%)

Forgetting something on the to do list (26%)

Misplacing your keys or phone (25%)

Someone walking too slowly in front of me (23%)

Missing public transport (19%)

Carrying too many things (18%)

Email overload (16%)