MARTINSBURG — West Virginia has been recognized as one of the most stressed states, according to a recent study conducted by the Pure Profile research company.
This past August, Pure Profile collected survey responses from people across the country and around the world, to determine where, in what areas and by whom was the most stress being felt.
“Half of all respondents from each country shared that finances were the most significant cause of stress,” said digital public relations specialist Sarah Grealy, in her analysis of the survey results. “More than a quarter reported that health concerns were causing them stress, be it an injury, chronic pain or caring for someone else. While 22% expressed work or school pressures to be their biggest stress, which could be from workload, burnout, deadlines or job changes.”
The study analyzed survey data from Americans alongside 28 national data sets, ranking each state from “one” — most stressed — to “50” — least stressed — across key stress categories.
“Money, work and lifestyle challenges are among the leading sources of daily stress,” said public relations representative Allen White, noting the states experiencing the lowest levels of stress were Nebraska, North Dakota, Connecticut and Rhode Island. “The findings align with national survey results showing financial stress as the leading cause of emotional strain for Americans, at 50%, followed by lifestyle pressures, reported by 29% of respondents, health concerns, reported by 27% of respondents, and work or school stress, reported by 22% of respondents.”
Out of the more than 1,000 people surveyed in the United States, West Virginia ranked number two for having the residents with the severest levels of mental health stress. The state’s residents also ranked second for having the highest levels of relationship-based stress. In no category — work stress, financial stress, education stress or health-related financial stress — did West Virginians report having low stress levels, leading to the state ranking 22nd for overall stress levels.
Addressing this issue is of no little importance, as stress, experienced over an extended period of time, can lead to severe health issues developing, including: high blood pressure, weakened immunity, cardiovascular disease, digestive disorders, asthma, anxiety, depression, addictive behavior, sleep problems, obesity, skin conditions and an acceleration in the aging process.
Harvard Health Publishing contributor Dr. Gregory Fricchione has advised those wishing to eliminate stress to adopt various stress management strategies, such as regular exercise, to boost positive endorphins; adequate sleep — at least seven hours per night — to lower cortisol levels; relaxation techniques, to slow breathing, relax muscles and reduce blood pressure; mindfulness practices like yoga, qi gong and tai chi, to encourage mental and physical relaxation, enabling practitioners to learn how to respond, rather than react, to stress; and increased quality social activity, to gain emotional support in the midst of stressful periods of time.
“Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can arise from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry or nervous,” Fricchione wrote, in an Aug. 13, 2024 article. “In short bursts or in tolerable quantities, stress can be beneficial, such as when it helps you meet a deadline or confront a challenge that promotes your growth and ability to cope. But when stress persists over a long time or becomes overwhelming, it can become toxic and harm your health.”