Psychologist issues urgent warning about 'minor daily stresses' like being stuck in traffic which could wreak devastation on your long-term health

Daily Mail​

05-06-2025

A leading psychologist has warned against the trauma of daily 'micro stresses' such as being stuck in traffic that have detrimental effects on your health.
Dr. Becky Spelman, UK licensed psychologist, explained to Femail that human brains 'aren't wired for constant low-level friction' such as losing your keys and being in a rush.
'Repeated minor stressors can lead to the same physiological and emotional exhaustion as a single major stressor,' she explained.
Indeed, Brits endure microstresses an average of eight times a day, increasing their blood pressure for as long as two hours daily, a new study from beverage company, Trip has found.
Around 90 per cent of Brits experience these stressors - which include having an untidy house or not being able to find a parking space.
'When the small stresses pile up with no opportunity to decompress, they create an emotional static that affects concentration, patience, and even physical health,'Dr Spelman said.
Dr Spelman suggested people 'incorporate small, daily rituals that restore calm', adding that overall management of stress should also focus on 'staying steady' during brief moments of strain.
Microstresses are defined as small daily annoyances that, though seemingly small at the time, can weigh heavy on overall wellbeing when experienced in culmination.
Among those counted as microstresses are seemingly minute aggravations such being being stuck in traffic, having an untidy house, or losing the remote control.
Of the survey's 2,000 participants, a whopping 79 per cent admitted that while 'major problems' are less likely to get them down, the combined effect of microstresses resulted in poorer wellbeing.
TRIP co-founder Olivia Ferdi, said: 'It's clear from the research that the smaller, more frequent stresses of daily life can really build up and grind us down, sometimes having more of an impact than the larger life events.
'Life is stressful enough so it can be really hard to find ways, and time, to chill out and relax.
'Taking some time to have a breather, sitting down and grabbing a drink can give you the break that you need to keep those microstresses at bay.'
According to the survey, the single biggest trigger of stress for Brits was being stuck in traffic, with a whopping 53 per cent admitting to being impacted by road jams.
Second on the list and causing aggravation to 42 per cent of people, was when a bin bag breaks during the process of taking it out.
Losing keys and getting stuck behind a slow walker were equally stress inducing, with a third, 33 per cent, impacted.
Additionally, 32 per cent stressed when their house is a tip, while 30 percent tense up when they spill something on their carpet.
Other irritants included forgetting to charge a mobile device overnight, which 27 per cent said they were impacted by, losing the TV remote, cited by 26 per cent, and having a car parked outside your house, a strain for 23 per cent.
Though minor in principle, the collective impact of several small stressors can be the equivalent to a single more significant event, Dr Spelman explained.
'They interfere with our focus, elevate cortisol levels, and can even alter how we respond to bigger challenges. In a fast-paced society, giving yourself permission to slow down - even for a few moments - can be the most important form of self-care,' she said.
Across the country, those most afflicted are in Birmingham, with Brummies enduring 10 stressful moments a day. In comparison, people living in Coventry reported having just six daily tense encounters.
The study found that 86 per cent of Brits find life generally irritating at present, with nearly 80 per cent saying they couldn't help being impacted by daily hassles.
Bearing the brunt of intense stress, 62 per cent said stress sometimes even triggers them to feel physically sick, with 59 per cent left with headaches.
Sleepless nights, increased heart rate and panic attacks were also among reported side effects.
Britain's most annoying microstresses
1. Being stuck in traffic – 53%
2. A bin bag breaking when you're trying to take it out – 42%
3. Losing your keys – 33%
4. Someone walking slowly in front of you – 33%
5. Your house being a tip – 32%
6. Spilling something on your carpet – 30%
7. Misplacing your mobile – 28%
8. The Wi-Fi buffering when you're binging a show – 27%
9. Forgetting to plug your phone in to charge overnight – 27%
10. Losing the TV remote control – 26%
11. Being in a rush and not being able to find an outfit – 24%
12. Forgetting to put the bins out – 23%
13. Someone parking their car outside your house for days – 23%
14. Dropping toothpaste all down yourself – 23%
15. Not being able to find a parking space – 22%
16. Spilling coffee down your top – 22%
17. Stepping in dog's mess – 22%
18. Running out of milk – 21%
19. Missing your train or bus – 21%
20. Listening to politicians – 19%
21. The batteries in your TV remote not working – 18%
22. Having a leak under the sink – 16%
23. Running out of clean socks – 15%
24. Having to re-wash plates after they've been in the dishwasher – 14%
25. A work colleague not finishing what they were supposed to do – 14%
26. Burning your morning toast – 12%
27. Opening your laptop to hundreds of unread emails – 11%
28. Watching the news – 11%
29. Having a row with a colleague at work – 11%
30. Enduring a disappointing lunch – 11%
31. Losing your headphones – 11%
32. Getting stuck in traffic on the school run – 10%
33. Not having change for a car park – 9%
34. Burning your mouth on a cheese toastie – 9%
35. The dog not coming when it's called – 8%