Are you a morning person? Most stressful time of the day is 7:23 a.m.

LONDON — It turns out even morning people get off to a rough start! A new survey finds the most stressful time of day is 7:23 a.m. — with the first case of “drama” typically happening by 8:18 a.m. The poll of 2,000 adults also ranks the top 50 everyday stressors, with traffic and waking up late at the top of the list.

Individuals experience an average of three dramas a day, with women having their first case of morning drama around 7:50 a.m., while men typically make it to 8:43 a.m. Also making the list are spilling something on clothing, burning meals, and tripping in public.

Other annoyances guaranteed to make people huff and puff include being locked out of their home, the car engine not starting, and realizing an email they thought was sent is still in drafts. The research, commissioned by RESCUE Remedy, finds tiredness (46%), an interrupted night’s sleep (36%), and a busy day at work (33%) are among the top causes for everyday dramas.

“Often when we think ‘drama’ we think big, but the research shows how much of an impact seemingly small niggles can have on our daily moods, says Zuzana Bustikova, a spokesperson for the well-being brand, in a statement. “We know that a poor night’s sleep can offset the whole day, and challenging days can often result in sleepless nights, so it’s no wonder that mornings are when the first drama is experienced.”

The study of British adults also finds that while 35 percent think little dramas are just part of life, a further 24 percent find it difficult to relax when they’re experiencing such woes. As many as four in 10 (41%) have been kept awake at night – or woken up – due to everyday annoyances, including 50 percent of women in comparison to 32 percent of men. Dramas also lead to people feeling frustrated (32%), anxious (23%), and tired (21%).

Similarly, 24 percent admit that overthinking everyday issues impacts their sleep and 22 percent find it emotionally draining. Adults typically have five things on their mind at one time and 16 percent believe they experience more drama than others. A quarter of those polled, by OnePoll, (24%) admit drama-inducing situations are typically their own fault, including waking up late. However, 15 percent blame others.

If a drama is experienced with someone else involved, it’s most likely to happen face-to-face (41%), rather than over a phone call (23%) or social media (22%). When in a bad mood, 32 percent turn to their partner for support while 24 percent of women confide in their female friends and 18 percent of men look to male peers for advice.

Unfortunately, 41 percent have felt unsupported by a loved one when experiencing a drama, including 47 percent of women and 36 percent of men. Vice versa, 42 percent have supported others if they’re down by simply listening, while 32 percent have been a shoulder to cry on and 19 percent have ranted along with them.

The top things that have improved moods after experiencing a little drama are a walk (30%), listening to music (28%), and alone time (26%).

“More than ever, it’s important to understand what our body and mind are telling us and, whilst it’s not always easy, setting good habits like eating well, establishing a – somewhat – relaxing bedtime routine and making time to look after ourselves is crucial,” Bustikova adds. “Taking small steps to build our emotional resilience, even on those difficult days, can make a huge difference in helping us live life to the fullest.”

Top 50 Everyday ‘Dramas’ Adults Experience:

  1. Stuck in traffic
  2. Spilling something down clothing e.g. food, drink, make-up, toothpaste etc
  3. Dropping and smashing something accidentally e.g. a glass, a bowl
  4. Waking up late
  5. Spilling something on the carpet
  6. Burning food
  7. A pan of boiling water bubbling over onto the stove
  8. Tripping in public
  9. Struggling to find a parking space
  10. Being late for work
  11. Forgetting bags at the supermarket
  12. Being pooed on by a bird
  13. Spilling something on the sofa
  14. Being locked out
  15. Car engine not starting
  16. Being late or missing public transport e.g. bus, train
  17. Public transport being cancelled
  18. Sending a text message to the wrong person
  19. Deciding what to have for dinner
  20. Forgetting an umbrella in the rain
  21. Deciding what to wear
  22. Checking my bank balance and having less money than I expected
  23. Forgetting someone else’s birthday
  24. Mess caused by a child or pet
  25. Clothes you want to wear being in the wash
  26. Leaving my wallet/purse at home
  27. Forgetting the trolley coin at the supermarket
  28. Getting a parking ticket
  29. Having a backlog of emails
  30. A friend owing money and not paying it back
  31. Losing keys (car or house keys)
  32. Experiencing road rage
  33. Forgetting ingredients for a meal
  34. Ripping tights
  35. Waiting too long to return an item to a shop for a refund
  36. Lightbulb going and not having any spears
  37. Realizing an email you thought you’d sent is in your ‘drafts’
  38. Forgetting important life admin tasks e.g. insurance renewal, meter readings etc
  39. Not knowing how to reply to a message e.g. text, dating app, social media
  40. Trying to organize social plans
  41. Spilling a drink on technology e.g. laptop, phone etc
  42. Accidentally ‘liking’ someone’s post on social media from years ago
  43. Being late due to having to de-ice the car
  44. Having lots of text/WhatsApp messages to reply to
  45. Playing something on your phone out loud in public e.g. a video, voice note etc
  46. Choking in public e.g. on a drink
  47. Getting a flat tire while cycling
  48. Forgetting about a meeting and simply not turning up
  49. Late to pick my child up / drop them off e.g. at school, a party, activity club etc
  50. Hair dryer or straighteners breaking

72Point writer Alice Hughes contributed to this report.

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