A recent article by The Washington Post says that physicians and public health experts say Americans are dying from stress. And stress is causing us to live shorter lives than others living in other countries with similar resources. Wikipedia defines stress as a “physiological, biological or psychological reaction to a stressor.” According to the experts, a cardiologist, endocrinologist, obesity specialist, health economist, and social epidemiologist, one reason for stress is the struggle to get ahead. Another reason for stress is an unequal society. Violence, politics, race relations and inflation contribute to people in the U.S. becoming sicker, age quicker, and die younger than others in similar countries.
A Washington Post-Ipsos poll taken this spring revealed that 50 percent of Americans stress about not having enough income. And 55 percent said that they stress about not having enough savings. Arline T. Geronimus, a professor at the University of Michigan, says the daily struggle in an unequal society wears people down. The struggle is real. President of Vasser College and author Elizabeth H. Bradley, says that Americans “should take a step back and look at the society we’re living in.”
Stress is often called the silent killer. Some suggested ways to manage stress include healthy eating, get enough sleep, exercise, relax, breathe deeply, practice self-care, find a hobby, and find support.
