Money remains the top source of stress

WE’VE got our mind on our money and our money on our minds – constantly, according to a new survey. Apparently, even more than family responsibilities and personal health concerns, a massive 72 per cent of adults say they are stressed out about money. While another 22 per cent say that they have extreme stress about money.

The main triggers that lead people in general to panic about money include paying for unexpected expenses, paying for essentials and saving for retirement. Basically, handing over money for anything and everything.

And it’s women, not men that seem to be having sleepless nights over money worries. Fifty-one per cent of women surveyed say they lie awake at night worrying about money, versus just 32 per cent of men.

Another effect of money stress is that women are more likely than men to say stress affects their eating, with 41 per cent saying they’ve eaten too much or had unhealthy food during the past month because of stress – for men it’s 24 per cent.

This is of concern since medics often point out that serious stress can lead to obesity and illnesses such as cancer.

From those surveyed in this recent study, when asked how they try to de-stress, the majority said by watching TV or surfing the internet, while these activities were then followed by napping, alcohol and smoking.

These are a worrying combination of ‘de-stress’ activities as they are largely unsocial, and to combat money stress, experts recommend seeking emo-tional support from family and friends.

It’s found that people without a shoulder to lean on tend to suffer worse from stress. For example, 43 per cent of people without emotional support said their stress has increased in the past year, compared with 26 percent of those with support.

So instead of de-stressing by watching box sets, it’s better to meet a friend for a coffee and have a chat about money worries if needs be.

And if money issues are taking their toll on your stress levels, then start to look at how you deal with money. Break bad habits and slowly begin to implement small changes that can create big differences!