Americans are overstressed — and you probably didn’t need a national study [PDF] to tell you that. But the recently released survey — of more than 2,000 adults and 1,100 tweens and teens — by the American Psychological Association finds that the most anxious groups in the country aren’t the ones you’d immediately expect.
Who’s Stressed in America? The Answer May Surprise You
Conventional wisdom holds that married people are happier than singletons, but the Stress in America survey found that betrothal wasn't doing much for stress — at least not for women. While stress levels were found to be high for all women, married women reported even higher levels than their single counterparts. One-third reported having had an episode of great stress in the past month, scoring themselves as an 8, 9 or 10 on the 10-point stress scale, compared with one-fifth of single women. Single women were also more likely to report that they were doing enough to manage their stress. Symptoms of stress, such as irritability, fatigue, headaches and crying spells, were more common in married than single women. Next: Westerners More on Time.com: 5 Ways to Beat the Winter Doldrums Don't Choke: 5 Tips for Performing Under Pressure Who Needs Marriage? How an American Institution Is Changing
