Money is biggest cause of stress for half of Canadians, women more stressed than men except with work
9 June 2009
TORONTO — Leading global market research firm Synovate today released results from its recent stress survey, which found that financial matters are the main cause of stress for half of the Canadian population (52%), and more women (55%) than men (49%) are stressed about money.
Synovate surveyed 1,003 Canadians aged 18-55+ from April 24 to April 28, 2009 via eNation - its online omnibus. The survey looked at Canadians' current state of stress, what causes them stress and how they manage and overcome it.
Twenty-nine percent of Canadians admit to be extremely or quite stressed overall. Interestingly, more women (32%) feel stressed than men (26%), and the age group feeling most stressed is those 18-34 years old.
Rob Myers, Managing Director of Synovate Canada, said, "This is a tough time for 18-24 year olds. The rapidly changing world and current economy create a lot of uncertainties for those starting their adult lives and careers."
Top answers to 'What is your major cause of stress?"
| Total | Male | Female | |
| Finances / mortgage / debt | 51% | 49% | 55% |
| Work | 41% | 43% | 38% |
| Family | 37% | 28% | 45% |
| My health | 32% | 30% | 33% |
| Balancing work and personal life | 27% | 22% | 31% |
| Relationships | 24% | 23% | 25% |
| Moving house | 12% | 8% | 15% |
| Studying/exams | 10% | 9% | 11% |
| Friends | 8% | 7% | 9% |
| Travelling for vacation / holiday | 6% | 5% | 6% |
Overall, women are more stressed than men in nine of the top ten causes of stress. Work was the only area in which men had a higher stress level than women (43% versus 38%), indicating that work is a top priority for them.
Music = most common stress reliever
While each person's stress level and cause of stress differs, listening to music seems to be the most common approach to alleviating it. Thirty-seven percent of Canadians use it to manage their stress while 36% will talk to friends/family and the same number will read a book. Both of the latter methods are done by more women than men. Getting a good sweat from exercise/work out is also a stress reliever though somewhat less popular than reading a book (33%).
Can't live with it, can't live without it
Almost three quarters of people (74%) agree that stress is unhealthy and 88% agree that it leads directly to certain diseases. On the other hand, the vast majority of respondents (94%) also agree that a little bit of stress is perfectly normal. Half of the respondents said they'd rather be 'stressed than bored in life' and 78% disagree with the statement 'I would rather be on a deserted island than have any stress in my life'. Seven in ten also agree that people who are not good with stress should not be in high powered jobs.
"While people clearly realize that stress can make us sick, they also think there is some benefit to having a little bit of it," said Myers. "In fact, half of those surveyed claim that being stressed actually helps them get things done. I guess that's also good news for the boss!"
Is stress noticeable and controllable?
Stress is intangible. Not everyone knows that they are stressed and people around you may first notice you're stressed based on a change in behaviour, habits and reactions. One in six Canadians admits to becoming more moody/irritable when stressed while half say that stress causes them sleep difficulties and a third say they eat more/gain weight. These reactions are more common in women than in men.
The survey also looked at whether the current economic crisis has affected people's stress level. Surprisingly, 62% don't feel their stress is related to the economic downturn and 60% say that any increased stress they've felt over the past year is not due to the economy.
Contact(s) for this press release
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Henrietta Sung
Synovate Marketing Manager |
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Telephone: +1 647 837 5053 |
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Synovate generates insights to help clients drive competitive brand, product and customer experience strategies. Now part of Ipsos, with offices in over 80 countries, our approach combines best in class global research capabilities with personalised service, local knowledge and the flexibility to create teams and processes that meet clients' specific requirements. At Synovate, our clients sit at the top of our organisational chart, driving us to continually develop more innovative research solutions that predict actual business outcomes.
For more information on Synovate visit www.synovate.com.