Stress' Effects By the Numbers

Released to coincide with Stress Awareness Month, April 2012, HEALTHeME has compiled data from the American Psychological Association Stress in America Report, Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index and Journal of Family Psychology, among other studies, with its own research, to produce new insights about stress management.

 

Multiple studies conclude that Americans are increasingly stressed. Research results compiled in time for Stress Awareness Month reveal that Technology may be the missing piece of the puzzle to turn around the stress epidemic.


More than 83% of Americans believe that stress strongly affects their health negatively, and nearly 40% report of eating unhealthy food to cope with stress, the data shows.

The obesity trend is particularly alarming. Americans today weigh 20 pounds more in 2011 than they did 10 years ago. According to CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) more than one third of U.S. adults are now obese, with obesity-related conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer as the leading causes of death.

Women are especially vulnerable to the stress epidemic. Five out of the ten women experience a significant increase in stress, and married women are 50% more likely to be highly stressed than single women, the data shows.

“As traditional methods to combat stress, such exercise and meditation, will continue to be important, Americans will need to increasingly rely on technology and smarter tools to be successful. One such tool is HEALTHeME, a service that combines predictive psychology and neuroscience to send personalized text messages that help combat stress and curb bad decisions,” says Sloan Rachmuth, co-founder of HEALTHeME.

With more than half of its users reporting that they feel less stressed from receiving customized text messages, HEALTHeME allows you to track key health signals such as stress, sleep, mood and blood pressure.

“In today’s ultra busy environment, people cannot afford to jeopardize their health by neglecting stress symptoms or early warning signals. Research clearly shows that a scientific and personalized approach to stress management, such as HEALTHeME, can help curb the stress epidemic that is plaguing our society today,” says Sloan Rachmuth

Sources

-American Psychological Association Stress in America Report

-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

-Carreercast.com

-Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index

-Journal of Family Psychology

-Gym, Health & Fitness Clubs Market Research report 2011