One in nine UK adults feel stressed every day, survey finds

The average adult feels stressed 10 days a month, with tiredness, money, and ‘loved ones’ the leading causes of anxiety, according to a new report.

The survey of 2,000 UK adults, commissioned by HR software provider Ciphr, found that most (86%) people feel stressed at least once a month, and as many as one in nine (11%) experience stress every day.

While one in five (20%) men and one in 11 (9%) women describe themselves as being stress-free, for many others stress has a more constant, and, potentially, debilitating impact on their physical and emotional wellbeing.

Over half (60%) of those surveyed say they’re affected by stress for five days or more a month. And, of those, a quarter (24%) feel stressed more days a month than they don’t.

The survey results suggest that women generally feel stressed more often than men. They experience stress for 11.7 days a month, compared to men’s 8.7 days (with the average for all respondents at 10.3 days a month, or 123 days a year).

Women are also more likely to say they feel stressed every single day (14%, compared to 9% of men).

The people most likely to be experiencing stress daily are the unemployed, with nearly one in four (23%) reportedly feeling stressed every day.

People with caring responsibilities are similarly affected – averaging 12 days a month feeling stressed. Notably, nearly one in six (18%) of those who support or look after their elderly, disabled or ill relatives, partners or friends get stressed daily. While one in eight (12%) parents say the same.

The least stressed group, in comparison, are those who have retired. Nearly half (45%) of retired men over 65 years old, and one in five (20%) retired women over 65 years old, say they never feel stressed in a typical month.

The findings form part of Ciphr’s comprehensive Workplace Stress Statistics in the UK report, examining the incidence and causes of stress (in and outside of work).

Common stressors

The top cause of stress, according to those polled, is not getting enough sleep or feeling tired. Sleep deprivation, and exhaustion, can perpetuate the stress cycle – where stress can impact sleep quality and quantity and increase feelings of tiredness, and lack of sleep and being tired can cause stress.

Feeling tired is the biggest stress trigger for all UK adults, cited by half (50%) of surveyed women and about a third (31%) of surveyed men (the average for all respondents is 41%).

Money (usually a lack of) is the second biggest cause of stress, affecting nearly two in five (38%) people in the UK.

Around one in three people attribute their stress to their family or relationship (34%), their health (32%), and work in general (30%).

Over one in four people find their workload (28%) stressful. A similar share of people also get stressed out by the news and what’s going on in the world (27%), their weight (25%), cleaning and household chores (23%), and the busyness of life (having a busy schedule, 23%).

Other common stressors, for around a fifth of UK adults, include being lonely or feelings of loneliness (20%), Coronavirus (19%), caring responsibilities (19%), moving house (19%), their bosses at work (18%), not fitting in or feeling like they don’t belong (18%), and friends (17%).

Daily activities that can also bring on feelings of stress and anxiety for some, include cooking and meal planning (a cause of stress for 16% of people), checking emails, instant messaging and taking part in group chats (14%), and social media (11%).

The top 10 causes of stress for UK adults

• Feeling tired / not getting enough sleep (41% of respondents)
• Money / my finances (38%)
• My family / relationship (34%)
• My health (32%)
• Work in general (30%)
• My workload (28%)
• The news / what’s going on in the world (27%)
• My weight (25%)
• Cleaning / household chores (23%)
• Busyness of life / busy schedule (23%)

The survey also found that certain causes of stress are more heightened for some generations than others.

People under-55 appear the most likely to worry about money and their finances (44% of 18-54 year olds vs 28% of the over-55s). And the leading stressors for older adults are feeling tired or not getting enough sleep (55-64 year olds) and concerns about their health (over-65s).

The people most likely to say that their family or relationship makes them feel stressed are 45-54 year olds (40%, compared to the survey average of 34%).

And work (in general) is the third biggest stressor for everyone aged 25 to 54 years old.

Stress in the workplace

Work plays a major role in most people’s lives, at some point or another. So, it’s perhaps unsurprising that work-related stressors feature so prominently in Ciphr’s research.

Nearly a third (30%) of UK adults say that their work in general raises their stress levels. Over a quarter (28%) say it’s their workload that gets them down, and around a fifth (18%) are impacted by long working hours and their bosses.

A further one in six people struggle with a poor workplace culture (16%), job security fears (16%), and stressful colleagues at work (15%).

Commuting is also still a bane for many (15%) people, despite the rise in remote and hybrid working since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Commenting on the findings, Claire Williams, chief people and operations officer at Ciphr, says: “It’s been three years since Ciphr last ran this survey, and, worryingly, we seem to be more stressed than ever.

“In 2021, 79% of UK adults said they felt stressed at least once a month. Now, that’s up to a staggering 86%. The number of people experiencing stress daily has also risen – from one in every 14 people to one in every nine people in the UK (from 7% to 11%).

“Work-related stress also appears to be impacting more people now. Unrealistic workloads and time pressures, overbearing bosses or toxic workplace cultures, can trigger high levels of unsustainable stress. This can interfere with people’s focus and productivity, and negatively affect our happiness at work, our job satisfaction, and, ultimately, our personal health and wellbeing.

“The last four years or so, with Covid and the ongoing cost of living crisis, have been incredibly challenging for many people. And everyone is likely to have been affected in different ways. Certain stressors are always going to be around, and there are many things outside of an employer’s control that can still take a toll on the workforce. But, it is vital that employers look out for the warning signs that individuals may be struggling and work proactively with them to help relieve those stresses, where possible. Ideally, before it becomes an overwhelming problem for the person themselves, and the wider business.”