On Long Island, Most Holiday Stress Falls On Young Women: Report

The holidays can be a stressful time for everyone. But according to a new poll of Long Islanders, younger women are those who are going to feel the burden the most.

Women under 50 are the most stressed out as the holidays approach, with 61 percent saying their stress level is high or very high, according to the latest "Truth in Medicine" poll of New York metro area residents conducted by Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital (formerly South Nassau Communities Hospital).

Stress increases across the board during the holidays, with 46 percent of those polled reporting high or very high levels of holiday-induced anxiety. During non-holiday periods, 31 percent overall rate their stress as very high or high.

“Women seem to take the brunt of preparations during the holidays and it shows in the increased stress levels they are reporting,” said Dr. Adhi Sharma, Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of South Nassau. “Everybody reacts to stress in different ways; however, stress can be dangerous when it impacts our daily life for long periods of time.”

Women under 50, especially those who work outside the home, feel the most stress during the holidays and at home, which impacts their mental and physical health. While 61 percent of women under 50 use exercise and 54 percent turn to friends to relieve stress, one in five women under 50 admit they use alcohol or drugs to relieve stress. Only 6 percent of area adults have sought counseling to help deal with stress, and only 9 percent more have even considered counseling. Those who haven't gone to counseling yet say that cost and time are the main things keeping them away.

As for specific factors that cause the most stress, finances and family were the two top reasons chosen among all those polled, with 25 percent rating debt and financial concerns associated with the holidays as stress-inducing, and 20 percent saying family issues raised their stress levels. But when asked to choose the top three reasons for holiday stress, the majority of respondents said that all factors — finances, family, overscheduling, shopping, and overeating — cause stress.

Throughout the rest of the year, the workplace is the biggest source of stress in working people’s lives, while home life is less stressful for most area residents. Overall, a substantial 48 percent of respondents who work outside the home say their stress level in the workplace is high or very high. Black respondents reported overall stress levels that are notably higher (48 percent) than white (28 percent) or Hispanic (25 percent) respondents. New York City dwellers rated their overall stress level higher than Long Islanders.

Retirement appears to alleviate a significant amount of stress. The least stressed demographic polled are respondents age 65 and older who are retired or choose not to work. This was the only subgroup to not report an increase in stress as the holidays approach.

“Chronic and long-term stress can have an adverse effect on your health,” said Dr. Aaron E. Glatt, chair of South Nassau's Department of Medicine. Glatt noted that especially around the holidays, people sometimes turn to overeating, smoking, and abusing alcohol or drugs, and cautioned residents to be aware of what is causing stress and take steps to reduce it.

“Talk to your loved ones about ways to make the holidays more enjoyable and less stressful,” he added. “It can be as simple as asking other family members to contribute a dish to a family gathering so all the cooking doesn’t fall on one person.”