Respondents age 50 and above were the least stressed (44%), the least worried (38%) and the least angry (16%). In other words, the results look like age makes people less stressed, worried and angry. "Your age has a clear relationship with how happy you are."
What age is stress most common? According to the American Psychological Association (APA), people in the 18-33 age group suffer the highest levels of stress in the U.S.
"A 25-year-old is much grumpier on the days when they experience a stressor, but as we age, we really figure out how to decrease those exposures," said Almeida, who noted that daily stress steadily decreases until the mid-50s, when people are the least affected by stress exposures.
Stress and young people
These figures are: 9% of Australians aged 65 to 85 years report high levels of distress. 28% of Australians aged 16 to 34 years report high levels of distress.
According to Cigna International Health's 2023 survey of almost 12,000 workers around the world, 91% of 18-to-24-year-olds report being stressed – compared to 84% on average. Research indicates Gen Z are emerging as the most stressed demographic in the workplace, and struggling mightily to cope.
An extensive study by Penn State showed that stress began to hit Gen X sometime in the last decade. The 2012 study discovered that Gen X had an average stress level of 5.8 (out of ten) while Millennials (3.4) and Baby Boomers (4.4) were a lot calmer.
Gen Z (42%) is about twice as likely as Americans over 25 (23%) to battle depression and feelings of hopelessness.
And while high school is full of new experiences, many of which can cause students stress, junior year has a reputation as the most stressful of the four years of high school.
Adults ages 30 to 44 have the highest rate of anxiety of this age group, with around 23% of people this age reporting an anxiety disorder within the past year.
In their lifetimes, about one in five Australians will experience depression. Around the world, depression affects around 300 million people. Depression is the most commonly experienced mental health challenge for young people aged between 12-25 years old.
People whose bodies age faster will likely live shorter lives. Many factors affect longevity, and the Yale research indicates that chronic stress can shorten one's lifespan. Stress was already known to exacerbate physical health problems, such as increased risk for heart attack or diabetes.
Over time, the brain loses its ability to regulate stress hormone levels. Not only does this contribute to hormonal imbalances, but it also leads to increased stress levels in older adults.
Looking first at self-reports of ongoing stress, we found that people experience a sharp increase in stress levels in their late twenties and early thirties. Stress levels increase more moderately during the thirties and forties, remain steady for about 20 years, and then drop sharply as retirement comes around.
3 million Australians are living with anxiety. Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. 1 in 4 people will experience anxiety at some stage in their life.
The Cleveland Clinic reports that depression “can affect people of any age, including children. Although children naturally have mood swings as they grow and develop, depression is different.” Depression in childhood impacts how children engage with loved ones and in activities.
So it's no surprise recent studies have declared millennials, especially women, the most anxious generation in history. Anxiety comes in many forms, but the simplest way to describe it is feeling worried or nervous about the future or uncertain situations.
In fact, during the school year, teens say their stress level is higher than levels reported by adults in the past month. For teens and adults alike, stress has an impact on healthy behaviors like exercising, sleeping well and eating healthy foods.
Sophomore year is usually considered the easiest of high school. Students are accustomed to their school and the workload isn't as bad as junior and senior year due to the fact most students aren't taking AP classes. Junior year is often thought of as the most stressful year as a highschooler.
Year 12 exams can be very stressful. Many students feel pressured to do well – to get into certain courses, or to please their family. On top of that, young people may be stressed about the uncertainty of what will happen once school ends.
It's no secret that every single generation has endured horrible trauma of one variety or another. But Generation Z is likely the most aware of (and most openly vocal about) the concept of trauma, its lasting mental health aspects, and mental health conditions in general.
Millennials (and the kids born after them) are currently being called the “unhealthiest generation” in human history—facing diagnoses, mysterious illnesses and conditions that our ancestors or their parents never faced.
Generation Z (Gen Z) is currently between 10 and 25 years old, born between 1997 and 2012, and research suggests that they are the most anxious generation to date.