Who feels stress most? And least?

Since 2007, the American Psychological Association (APA) has conducted “Stress in America” surveys, which examine stress levels across generations and between genders.

The APA’s 2023 survey, the first since the end of the COVID-19 national public health emergency, for the first time provides the opportunity to examine how the pandemic affected feelings and sources of stress across the nation.

The survey reports that women continue to rate their stress levels higher than men. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being little or no stress and 10 being a great deal of stress, the average rating was 5.3 for women and 4.8 for men.

Interestingly, the average stress level reported to the APA decreased as age increased; ages 18-34 had the highest average stress rating, at 6, while ages 65 and older reported the lowest, at 3.4. 

The 2023 survey reported increases in average stress ratings in three of the four age groups compared to the 2019 survey. The only age group to report decreased average stress levels was individuals age 65 and older. Those adults who rated their stress as an 8 or higher accounted for 24 percent of respondents, up from 19 percent in 2019. 

Source: APA.org, 2023, https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2023/collective-trauma-recovery


What are we so stressed about?

According to the APA survey, the following are reported as the greatest sources of stress:

What affects can stress have on the body?

Stress can trigger multiple unhealthy behaviors and moods – such as overeating (especially junk food), skipping meals, self-medicating with alcohol, smoking, wakefulness at night, irritability, and others.

Chronic stress has several particularly adverse health consequences. For example, the immune system can be negatively impacted by decreased natural killer cell activity and decreased secretory IgA, the latter being the GI tract’s first line of defense against invading organisms.

Chronic stress also disrupts the GI tract by decreasing the levels of beneficial Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus bacteria species, while increasing the levels of the pathogenic bacteria, E. coli and Enterobacteria.

Chronic stress also increases or decreases cortisol levels. Initially levels can be increased. Elevated cortisol can have a negative impact on immune function, blood pressure, blood sugar, ability to lose weight, and much more. However, over time, the adrenals become fatigued and cortisol levels become depleted.

There are several nutrients and botanicals that can moderate the physical effects of stress on the body. Adaptogenic botanicals, like those in Thorne’s Daily Greens Plus and Stress Balance, can be very effective in moderating stress.* What is an adaptogen? Adaptogens are natural substances, often from botanical sources, that can increase the body’s resistance to stress by acting as a stabilizer or normalizer.

For example, if cortisol is high, then an adaptogen helps bring cortisol down to a normal level, while if the cortisol level is already normal, the adaptogen will help maintain it.* You can take an at-home cortisol test that provides insights about your stress response and adrenal health by measuring your hormone fluctuations.

There are  number of botanicals that are categorized as adaptogens. Perhaps the two best known adaptogens are Panax ginseng (Korean or Chinese ginseng) and Eleutherococcus senticosus (formerly referred to as Siberian ginseng).*

Other adaptogenic botanicals include Withania somnifera (ashwagandha), Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice), and Rhodiola rosea. Panax, Eleutherococcus, licorice, and ashwagandha exert their adaptogenic effects primarily on the adrenal glands; whereas, Rhodiola exerts its effect primarily on the central nervous system by helping to normalize neurotransmitters in the brain.*

What about the B vitamins? 

Several B vitamins support individuals who suffer from the effects of stress:

  • Thiamin (vitamin B1) – a protective nutrient for the adrenals; can decrease stress-induced cortisol response*
  • Niacinamide (vitamin B3) – can increase REM sleep and decrease wakefulness in patients who have insomnia;* shunts tryptophan to serotonin*
  • Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) – deficiency can result in compromised adrenal function; can blunt an overactive cortisol response to stress*
  • Pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (active vitamin B6) – cofactor for stress-mitigating neurotransmitter formation (GABA, serotonin, and dopamine)*
  • 5-MTHF (active folate) – essential for the formation of BH4, which is necessary for formation of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine*
  • Vitamin B12 (as methylcobalamin) – helps reset circadian rhythms for improved sleep and for normalizing cortisol peak*

Stress doesn’t have to win – take control of your stress. Although stress is part of life, there are things that can be done to keep it from threatening your health and happiness.

When we have the right tools, we can take control of our stress before it takes control of us.

Stress B-Complex features

  • Vitamin B complex with extra B5 for adrenal gland support and stress management*
  • Unlike many B vitamin products, Stress B-Complex contains some B vitamins in their active forms so they are ready to be used by the body

Stress Balance features

  • Non-glandular vegetarian support for the adrenals*
  • Key “adaptogenic” botanicals to improve the body's resistance to stress*
  • Helps reduce fatigue*
  • Optimizes adrenal function for better stress management*

Want to learn more about how your body responds to stress? 

Take Thorne's at-home Stress Test. This easy-to-use home health testing kit measures DHEA and fluctuations of your key stress hormone, cortisol, to provide insights about your stress response and adrenal health. Your results include personalized recommendations to promote your health and wellness. Watch the Stress Test in action here on this special episode of The Thorne Podcast.