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It has been over two months since Covid-19 restrictions were lifted in the UK but it seems that stress levels across the country are still running high with worries about the future and struggles with ‘getting back to normal’.
Reassured, life insurance brokers conducted a survey asking 2,000 adults how they have been feeling since restrictions were eased on July 19th to find out the stress levels across the country and the main reasons for feeling stressed.
Those aged 25-34 are the most stressed
The parents of young children and the millennials have had the toughest time with stress, as the average stress level for the age group 25-34 was 7/10. Data from the Reassured survey found that nearly half of millennials (45%) and parents with children under 18 (44%) have felt under a lot of strain since lockdown ended.
The nations average stress levels stand at around a 6/10 with over 65s being the least stressed with an average stress level of 5/10. Only 17% of people stated they have felt less stressed in the past couple of months.
Edinburgh the most stressed UK City
The findings revealed that Edinburgh was the most stressed city in the UK, with just over 32% of respondents from Edinburgh putting their stress levels at 8/10 or higher. Cardiff and Leeds were close behind with 31% showing they had extremely high stress levels.
Northern Ireland’s capital Belfast was ranked sixth on the list, as it had just over a quarter of people (28%) claiming stress levels of 8/10 or above and England’s capital London was placed 9th with similar levels of stress (25%).
What are the main causes of stress?
There are many factors that can contribute to stress levels and it varies for each person. The UK life insurance specialists found that the two major factors causing stress post lockdown was not knowing what the future holds and being expected to return to normal life. One in four (24%) stated the unknown future caused their stress while one in five (21%) said not being ready to return to normal life was a struggle for them.
Other causes included trying to fit everything in (21%), financial situations (18%) and personal health (18%).
Tips for reducing stress levels
How can people reduce stress levels? Depending on what causes you stress there are various methods to reduce your stress levels. For those who find they don’t have enough time in the day it is best to make a list or have a calendar, so you stay organised.
Now restrictions are eased friends are meeting up more, but it can over face some people. So don’t be afraid to say no if you don’t fancy meeting up for a little while or you have too much already planned.
If financial worries cause you stress, the best way to manage this is to keep a track of your spending. Whether it is how often you go out for food, online shopping or monitoring your outgoings from household bills. It is also important to ensure you are not worried about the future and planning ahead with life insurance to offer you the protection and peace of mind.
Steve Marshall, CEO for Reassured, commented on the findings:
“Despite a summer free of Covid restrictions, it appears many across the UK are still dealing with high levels of stress. According to our data, the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic is still a major cause for concern, and those struggling the most are parents with young children, and adults aged 25 to 34.”
“Since all legal obligations surrounding social distancing and face masks were removed, so many have been excited to return to some sense of normality. However, our survey has revealed this has been more stress-inducing than comforting for some, with a large portion of the respondents saying they have felt pressured to “go back to normal” when, in fact, they weren’t ready to do so.”