The most stressful time of the day is 7.23am as the top 50 everyday dramas are also revealed
The most stressful time of the day has been revealed, with mornings identified as the most anxiety-inducing period
New research has uncovered the most common everyday ‘dramas’ that are giving Brits a headache
The findings have also highlighted the impact these daily stresses are having on our lives, including impacting our sleep
Read on to find out the top 50 everyday dramas and the best ways to combat them
The most stressful time of day has been revealed, and it will come as absolutely no shock to anyone with kids.
Between coaxing them to eat their breakfast, brush their teeth and find their shoes, while also trying to get yourself ready for the day ahead, it will come as zero surprise to parents that 7.23am is considered the most anxiety-inducing period of the entire day.
As well as uncovering the times of the day we find particularly stressful, the research of 2,000 Brits also revealed the top 50 everyday stresses we experience, revealing being stuck in traffic coming top and waking up late high on the list.
Turns out we tackle an average of three dramas a day, with women having their first around 7.50am, while men last until 8.43am.
Spilling something down our clothing, burning food and tripping over in public were all on the list of stressful encounters.
Other annoyances guaranteed to put us in a grump include: being locked out of our home, the car engine not starting and realising an email we thought we had sent being sat in ‘drafts’. Grrrrr.
The research, commissioned by Bach's Rescue Remedy, found tiredness (46%), an interrupted night’s sleep (36%) and a busy day at work (33%) were among the top triggers for the everyday irritations.
Read more: Which areas of the UK are the most stressful places to live?
Commenting on the findings, Zuzana Bustikova, for the wellbeing brand, says: “Often when we think ‘drama’ we think big, but the research shows how much of an impact seemingly small niggles can have on our daily moods.
“We know that a poor night’s sleep can offset the whole day, and challenging days can often result in sleepless nights, so it’s no wonder that mornings are when the first drama is experienced.”
The study also found that while over a third of us (35%) believe little dramas are just part of life, a further fifth (24%) find it difficult to relax when they’re experiencing them.
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As many as four in 10 (41%) have been kept awake at night – or woken up – due to everyday annoyances, although more women (50%) than men (32%) admit to the dramas impacting their sleep.
The annoyances also lead to people feeling frustrated (32%), anxious (23%) and tired (21%), while over a fifth (22%) find it emotionally draining.
A quarter of those polled, via OnePoll, admit drama inducing situations are typically caused by themselves, such as waking up late, but 15% blame others for their tricky predicaments.
When it comes to who we turn to when we're in bad mood, almost a third turn to their partner for support while almost a quarter of women confide in their female friends and 18% of men look to male peers for advice.
But it turns out comfort isn't always forthcoming, with 41% claiming to feel unsupported by a loved one when experiencing a drama, which breaks down to 47% of women and 36% of men.
The top things that help to give us a lift after experiencing a little drama include a walk (30%), listening to music (28%) and alone time (26%).
Thankfully there are some ways to ease yourself over those everyday hurdles. “More than ever, it’s important to understand what our body and mind are telling us and, whilst it’s not always easy, setting good habits like eating well, establishing a - somewhat - relaxing bedtime routine and making time to look after ourselves is crucial," says Bustikova.
“Taking small steps to build our emotional resilience, even on those difficult days, can make a huge difference in helping us live life to the fullest.”
Read more: Those with stress, anxiety and depression will have access to NHS ‘employment advisor’
Top 50 everyday 'dramas' Brits experience
Stuck in traffic
Spilling something down clothing e.g. food, drink, make-up, toothpaste etc
Dropping and smashing something accidentally e.g. a glass, a bowl
Waking up late
Spilling something on the carpet
Burning food
A pan of boiling water bubbling over onto the hob
Tripping over in public
Struggling to find a parking space
Being late for work
Forgetting carrier bags at the supermarket
Being pooed on by a bird
Spilling something on the sofa
Being locked out
Car engine not starting
Being late or missing public transport e.g. bus, train
Public transport being cancelled
Sending a text/message to the wrong person
Deciding what to have for dinner
Forgetting an umbrella in the rain
Deciding what to wear
Checking my bank balance and having less money than I expected
Forgetting someone else’s birthday
Mess caused by a child or pet
Clothes you want to wear being in the wash
Leaving my wallet/purse at home
Forgetting the trolley coin at the supermarket
Getting a parking ticket
Having a backlog of emails
A friend owing money and not paying it back
Losing keys (car or house keys)
Experiencing road rage
Forgetting ingredients for a meal
Ripping tights
Leaving it too long to return an item to a shop e.g. for a refund
Lightbulb going and not having any spears
Realising an email you thought you’d sent is in your ‘drafts’
Forgetting important life admin e.g. MOT, insurance renewal, meter readings etc
Not knowing how to reply to a message e.g. text, dating app, social media
Trying to organise social plans
Spilling a drink on technology e.g. laptop, phone etc
Accidentally ‘liking’ someone’s post on social media from years ago
Being late due to having to de-ice the car
Having lots of text/WhatsApp messages to reply to
Playing something on your phone out loud in public e.g. a video, voice note etc
Chocking in public e.g. on a drink
Getting a puncture while cycling
Forgetting about a meeting and simply not turning up
Late to pick my child up / drop them off e.g. at school, a party, activity club etc
Hair dryer or straighteners breaking
Additional reporting SWNS.
