RESIDENTS in Warwick are officially among the least stressed in the country.
The town is the eighth least stressed place to live according to a new study conducted by rehabilitation provider Abbeycare Foundation.
Abbeycarefoundation.com analysed the key metrics that may contribute to the levels of stress in all local authorities in England.
The factors were the percentage of smokers, life satisfaction, anxiety levels, median weekly pay, average hours worked per week, the percentage of physical inactivity and the percentage of people who have never worked from home.
These metrics were chosen due to the impacts they have on a person’s well-being and thus levels of stress. Each factor was given a score which was then added up to give a total score on the stress index. The lower the score the less stressed an area is.
Surrey Heath came out the least stressed place in England with a stress index of 68, followed by Lichfield with 70.1 and then Dartford with 71.2.
Warwick, meanwhile, has a stress index of 72.7. The study found the town “maintains a high life satisfaction and low levels of anxiety reported”.
Residents were also found to have a high weekly median wage that can help them cope with higher costs of living.
“With only 45 per cent having never worked from home and low levels of inactivity, people who live in Warwick may have less stress due to better mental and physical health,” the study concluded.
The most stressed place to live in England is Blackpool, according to the same study, with a stress index of 89.7.
Warwick District Council’s safer communities spokesperson Coun Judith Falp welcomed the news.
She said: “We’re fortunate to live in and around this beautiful historic town, where significant investment by the local council in award winning parks and public open spaces as well as new leisure centres has brought great benefits to the health and wellbeing of local people.
“In Warwick and across the whole district there is a wealth of opportunities available to take part in sport and community activities whatever your age or fitness level.”
A spokesperson from the Abbeycare Foundation said: “Modern life has become fast-paced, expensive and oftentimes complicated. These additional stressors can have many adverse impacts on our mental and physical health. Reports have shown that increased stress can cause many people to smoke, drink and take less care of their bodies. Therefore, it’s important to manage our stress wherever possible to improve overall quality of life.
“The research shows a clear correlation of how location, job and personal health can impact mental and physical health. Those with higher wages and better work-life balances will often feel less stress due to having more free time to spend with friends and family, and the ability to also engage in hobbies that they enjoy and find pleasure in outside of their career.”
