New research shows that stressed out city dwellers need to give themselves a break
One in five urbanites never take weekend breaks and a quarter only manage to escape the city twice a year, which causes them to feel run down and suffer from ‘urban fatigue', according to new research.
Norwich Union surveyed the inhabitants of 10 major UK cities and found that stressed-out city dwellers are finding it increasingly difficult to get away from urban life and unwind properly at weekends. Main findings include:
70% of city dwellers feel stressed by city life
One in three regularly take work-related calls at the weekend
One in five urbanites never leave the city at weekends
Yet two thirds (66%) recognise the need for a regular change of scenery
Behavioural psychologist Dr Aric Sigman believes that city workers are suffering from so-called 'urban fatigue' and could be risking their physical and mental health simply because they don't leave the city often enough.
"Many Brits still only take the traditional big annual holiday, but as society becomes increasingly urbanised and lifestyles more hectic, there's a real need for city dwellers to take small breaks on a more regular basis. Research has shown that it is far more beneficial for the mind and body to take lots of mini breaks. In fact, just the knowledge that we're escaping produces spontaneous relaxation allowing stressed out professionals to redress the balance and prevent ill health."
