Survey: Atlanta a stressful city

Feeling stressed out? Atlanta is the nation’s 17th most stressed out city, according to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive for Princess Cruises.

Chicago, Houston, Boston, Los Angeles, San Diego and Denver are the top five most stressed out American cities. Miami, Dallas, Las Vegas, Cincinnati and Minneapolis are the least stressed out.

The survey shows that even though Americans continue to strive for life balance, which includes juggling work and personal priorities, only about 25 percent of Americans have achieved this goal. However, the survey also shows that there is a prevailing sense of hope, even in today’s tough economic times, with more than 53 percent of respondents saying they believe they will achieve life balance in the next five years.

Financial stress and the poor economy are among the leading causes for life imbalance among Americans, followed closely by their need to lose weight/get fit, according to the survey.

The top-five things Americans do to de-stress at the end of the day are changing their clothes, laying down, kissing their spouse/partner, playing with their pet and reading a book or a magazine.

Stress expert and founder of The Stress Institute, Dr. Kathleen Hall, said learning how to deal with stress is one of the most important things Americans can do to lead more balanced lives.

“Life balance is all about having time for work, relationships, relaxation and fun, but when people are stressed out, it can be hard for them to focus on the priorities that will help get them back in balance,” Hall said in a news release. “Stress can manifest itself in many different forms, both mentally and physically, so it’s important to know how to identify our key stressors and learn to make positive choices that help manage stress every day. A crucial element to maintaining life balance is taking breaks and vacations. Research shows it’s so important to allow yourself time to get away and disconnect from it all so that you can return to your everyday life rejuvenated and ready to deal with challenges head on.”

Source: Atlanta Business Chronicle