Physical Wellness

Average Person Spends 5 Years of Their Life Worrying

By Christine Hsu | Update Date: Jan 28, 2013 11:15 AM EST

The average person spends more than five years of their life worrying, according to a new survey conducted in the UK.

The survey conducted by UK healthcare provider Benenden Health revealed that the average adult loses about two hours a day worrying about issues like their love life, personal finances, health, getting old and job security.

The latest research also revealed that extreme anxiety has also made it difficult for many people in the UK to concentrate at work, sleep at night and get along with their significant others.

Researchers from the leading health and wellbeing mutual found that the average person livening in the UK spends 14 hours a week fretting over their life. What's more, the survey revealed that around 45 percent of respondents admitted that the stress and worry they frequently experience has directly affected their health in a negative way.

"It is a sad reality that stress is dominating our lives and having a severe impact on our work life, our quality of sleep and our personal relationships," said Paul Keenan, head of communications at Benenden Health, according to Netdoctor.com.

Keenan said that that fretting about life's everyday problems can negatively affected a person's health.

"The crunch comes when it begins to have a detrimental impact on our health - and 45 per cent admit stress is already doing this," Keenan said, according to the Daily Mail. "32 percent of people have even gone to the doctors because of worry or stress."

The survey revealed that people most commonly worry about not having enough energy to make a through the day, aging or problems at work.

Many of the people surveyed also admitted to worrying about whether their partner is right for them and if their partner is still in love with them.

Researchers said that the average adult has about six nights of poor sleep in a month as a result of worrying. What's more is that about a quarter of adults surveyed said that they feel that they have no one they can confide in their worries, and a third of respondents admitted to suppressing their worries so that they can get on with their everyday life.

The survey also found that one in ten people have bank statements, bills or letters they have not opened or hidden because they are too afraid to read them.

"It's a small positive that 32 per cent of people are taking stress issues to their doctor and seeking professional assistance," Keenan said, according to the Daily Mail.

Kennan suggests that people start taking charge of their stress before it starts negatively impacting their health.

Britons need to ensure that stress is not taking over their lives without redress.  He said that the average person in the UK spent about 125 days over the last year worrying about something.

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