Nearly 2 in 5 Americans at peak stress levels

This story version has been formatted as an on-air script for broadcast outlets. See the original research story here.

THE AVERAGE AMERICAN FEELS LIKE THEIR HEAD IS SPINNING 156 TIMES A YEAR FROM STRESS, ACCORDING TO NEW RESEARCH.

CONDUCTED BY TALKER RESEARCH FOR TRADITIONAL MEDICINALS, THE SURVEY OF 2,000 ADULTS FOUND THAT THESE STRESS HEADACHES BREAK DOWN TO THREE TIMES A WEEK AND THAT ‘BRAIN FOG’ OCCURS JUST AS OFTEN.

LOOKING AT THEIR CURRENT STRESS LEVELS, THE SURVEY FOUND THAT 41 PERCENT SAID THEY’RE AT THEIR PEAK STRESS FOR THE YEAR SO FAR.

RESULTS SHOWED THAT WHILE 30 PERCENT ARE HOPEFUL THAT THEIR STRESS LEVEL WILL GO DOWN BY THE END OF THE YEAR, A QUARTER THINK THERE’S A CHANCE IT’LL GO UP (26%).

YET, 45 PERCENT HAVE NEVER TAKEN A MENTAL HEALTH DAY OR SICK DAY FROM WORK SOLELY BECAUSE OF STRESS.

MOST COMMON STRESS SYMPTOMS

1. Trouble sleeping — 42%
2. Irritability — 37%
3. Fatigue — 34%
4. Headaches — 33%
5. Feeling worried/paranoid — 31%
6. Inability to focus — 30%
7. Restlessness — 29%
8. Racing thoughts — 27%
9. Brain fog/mental unclarity — 23%
10. Panic attacks — 23%

WHAT’S STRESSING AMERICANS OUT?

1. Personal finances — 35%
2. The economy — 28%
3. Physical health — 25%
4. Family — 25%
5. Mental health — 24%
6. The 2024 presidential election — 20%
7. The news/world issues — 19%
8. Work — 16%
9. An unexpected life event — 15%
10. Romantic relationship — 13%

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by Traditional Medicinals and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between July 29 and Aug. 5, 2024.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.