New study from Rescue® shows how daily ‘mini dramas’ are adding extra stress and causing sleepless nights for Americans
North Andover, MA | We all experience those mini dramas in our daily lives; waking up late, spilling coffee down your pristine white shirt or having a particularly frustrating chat with a colleague who just won’t take no for an answer.
Most of us accept these as unavoidable and can often rationalize that there are bigger problems in the world. Yet, these micro dramas can really add up to spoil your day, drain your emotional resilience and keep you up at night, too.
New research commissioned by Rescue®, the world’s No.1 Stress & Sleep support brand1, highlights the most stressful time of the day for Americans as 10:19am, with the first drama of the day typically happening by 7:52am.
The new study [2,000 Americans] revealed the top 50 everyday stresses, with being stuck in traffic coming out on top, deciding on dinner, checking the bank balance and finding less money than expected, and waking up late also ranking at the top of the list.
Individuals experience an average of three dramas per day, with men having their first around 7:46am, while women face theirs a few minutes later at 7:57am.
Also on the list of dramas expected to raise peoples’ stress levels were breaking or spilling something, deciding what to wear and struggling to find a parking spot. Tiredness (53 percent), an interrupted night’s sleep (45 percent) and receiving some bad news (44 percent) were among the top causes for such dramas.
Often when we think of ‘drama’ we think big moments, but the research shows how much of an impact seemingly small mishaps can have on our daily moods. We know that a bad night’s sleep can have a huge impact on how we manage stressful situations throughout the day, and stressful days can often result in sleepless nights, so is it any surprise that Americans experience their first ‘mini drama’ first thing?
The study also found that as many as seven in 10 have been kept awake at night or woken up due to everyday dramas, with 71 percent of women admitting that they struggle compared to 75 percent of men.
It will come as no surprise, given the 24/7 connected lives we all seem to lead, that adult Americans typically have four things on their mind all at once with 35 percent admitting that drama inducing situations are typically caused by themselves, and only 19 percent blaming others.
After a bad day, 41 percent turn to their partner for support, while 37 percent of women confide in their female friends, with 32 percent of men looking to their male peers for advice. While half have stepped forward to support others if they are down by simply listening, 63 percent of those polled have felt unsupported by a loved one when experiencing a drama — including 62 percent of women and 64 percent of men.
So, how can you make sure that these inevitable mini dramas don’t derail your days and nights? According to the American public, listening to music, finding alone time and getting out for some exercise, like a walk, can help. We also recommend reaching out to your support systems, be that your partner or friends for added comfort. More than ever, it’s important to understand what our body and mind are telling us and, while 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. 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.
The research was commissioned by Rescue® to remind everyone that life isn’t picture-perfect and drama free, but there are lots of small things we can do to help ourselves feel more in control, balanced and equipped for whatever the day holds.
The brand-NEW Rescue Plus® Mood & Stress Support Gummies, created with key botanicals and nutrients, is designed to help support the body’s stress response and promote a sense of calm during our busy lives. These new gummies pair perfectly with our iconic Rescue Remedy® stress relief products featuring our famous flower essence blend (trusted for over 80 years!).
Top 50 Everyday ‘Dramas’ Americans Experience
- Stuck in traffic
- Spilling something on clothing, e.g. food, drink, make-up, toothpaste, etc.
- Waking up late
- Dropping and breaking something accidentally, e.g. a glass, a bowl
- Deciding what to have for dinner
- Deciding what to wear
- Burning food
- Checking my bank balance and having less money than I expected
- Spilling something on the carpet
- Struggling to find a parking spot
- Sending a text/message to the wrong person
- Mess caused by a child or pet
- Clothes you want to wear being in the laundry
- Spilling something on the sofa
- Car engine not starting
- Leaving my wallet/purse at home
- A friend owing money and not paying it back
- Being late for work
- Forgetting someone else’s birthday
- Losing keys (car or house keys)
- Being locked out
- Forgetting ingredients for a meal
- Spilling a drink on electronics, e.g. laptop, phone, etc.
- Not knowing how to reply to a message, e.g. text, dating app, social media
- Tripping in public
- A pan of boiling water boiling over on the stove
- Having a backlog of emails
- Playing something on your phone out loud in public, e.g. a video, voice message, etc.
- Waiting too long to return an item to a store, e.g. for a refund
- Accidentally ‘liking’ someone’s post on social media from years ago
- Experiencing road rage
- Realizing an email you thought you’d sent is in your ‘drafts’
- Being late or missing public transportation, e.g. bus, train
- Forgetting an umbrella in the rain
- Lightbulb blowing and not having any spares
- Getting a parking ticket
- Having lots of text/WhatsApp messages to reply to
- Forgetting about a meeting and not turning up
- Trying to organize social plans
- Late to pick my child up/drop them off, e.g. at school, party, activity, etc.
- Forgetting important responsibilities, e.g. insurance renewal, power bill, etc.
- Being pooped on by a bird
- Forgetting reusable shopping bags at the supermarket
- Being late due to having to de-ice the car
- Being reprimanded at work in front of colleagues
- Forgetting to finish the online food order before the cut-off time
- Choking in public, e.g. on a drink
- Hair dryer or straighteners breaking
- Public transport being cancelled
- Matching with the same person as your friend on a dating app
1 Nelsons, May 2022. Rescue® is the most widely distributed natural stress & sleep brand worldwide. Data on file.
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For all inquiries, please contact Rescue® PR Manager Debbie Bolding: DebbieBolding@nelsons.net
Notes To Editors
Rescue®
The original RESCUE REMEDY® in the iconic little yellow bottle has provided gentle, non-habit forming stress relief to millions around the world for generations and each product in the RESCUE® family is still made using the original methods developed by Dr. Bach over 80 years ago. Specially blended from five individual Bach® essences; Rock Rose, Impatiens, Clematis, Star of Bethlehem and Cherry Plum, with the addition of White Chestnut in the night range, RESCUE® offers a wide range of natural solutions for consumers’ emotional wellbeing, day and night.
RESCUE® stress relief and sleep aid remedies are sold online and at thousands of stores nationwide.
RESCUE®, RESCUE REMEDY® and the Bach® signature are registered trademarks of Bach Flower Remedies Limited.
Nelsons
Nelsons is a leading global manufacturer of natural healthcare products, with a long-standing commitment to supplying the highest quality natural healthcare products that meet all regulatory and quality standards. Nelsons is based in the United Kingdom. Its brands are recognized and sold all over the world and in the US include RESCUE REMEDY® (RescueRemedy.com), RESCUE SLEEP®, RESCUE PLUS®, and Bach® Original Flower Remedies (BachRemedies.com). Learn more: Nelsons.net.
Bach® blogs on emotional health