Twice as many women affected by stress as men

Almost one in five women feel their stress levels are out of control, double the number of men, according to new research.

Stress is the feeling of being under pressure which can, in the short term, increase productivity, motivate, and improve performance.

However, too much pressure or prolonged pressure can lead to stress causing difficulty in sleeping, lack of appetite and concentration.

It can cause further health problems like anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure – the main cause of stroke.  The most common reasons of stress are money worries, job issues, and family problems.

The survey of 2,000 people, by the Stroke Association and the engineering company Siemens, found almost a fifth of people said they took no exercise.

A similar number said they exercised for 30 minutes once a week.  More than a quarter of people aged 45 to 54 said they never exercised, despite suffering the highest stress levels.

Almost half said they were under more than ’moderate stress’.  Chief executive Andreas Goss, of Siemens, said: ‘Contrary to popular belief, stroke can affect people of any age.’

You can read the full story in The Telegraph.