We all know how important it is to keep our mental health in check. Taking care of ourselves is essential for feeling good, staying productive, and enjoying the little things in life. And while California has plenty of options to unplug in the outdoors, sometimes even all that fresh air and sunshine isn’t enough to keep our minds clear.
That’s exactly what the latest study from online health platform PlushCare found. The team analyzed 4 million tweets from 340 major U.S. cities, covering topics like money, careers, relationships, education, social media, and the news.
Using Wolverhampton University’s TensiStrength stress detection tool, they measured the stress level of each post and calculated the percentage of stressed tweets overall and by category for every state. From the main list, California ranked 11th nationally, just behind the states that make up the top 10:
- Hawaii
- Utah
- Oregon
- Nevada
- Alaska
- Minnesota
- Colorado
- Washington
- Arizona
- Pennsylvania
What’s stressing out Californians?
The study points to two major factors affecting mental health in the Golden State: career life and the news. Career-related stress covers everything from a tough job market to heavy workloads, while news-related stress comes from doomscrolling and growing worries about the country’s current and future state.
To help manage stress, PlushCare suggests limiting time spent on social media and news, exercising regularly, establishing a bedtime routine for better sleep, nurturing relationships, finding community, and practicing meditation, or even just a few deep breathing exercises each day.