Hawaii! Most of you occupies an island chain land formation that is also one of the most beautiful words in all languages. Photos suggest you have so many flowers that necklaces had to be created. The current U.S. President is from your tropical climate and the nation's premier fictional dreamboat, Don Draper, just visited your shores. You are having a moment.
So why are 32.1 percent of Hawaiian residents stressed, according to a recent Gallup poll? Or rather—the poll suggests that 32.1 percent of people in Hawaii experienced stress on a given day. So 67.9 percent of Hawaiians have days that are entirely without any anxiety, unease, agitation, or any of the angst of the human condition. Nearly 70 percent of Hawaiians have barely heard of stress. While it's certainly true that Hawaiians want to ditch the stereotype that they all live on the beach and professionally relax, this poll is not helping the case. But congratulations, sincerely.
Moreover, Gallup reports that since they started measuring daily stress in 2008, Hawaii has always reported the lowest percent of stress. It's also the only state to rank in the top five ever year since since the polls started. This year—Louisiana, home of the Big Easy, comes in second with a grand 62.4 percent stress free. Then Mississippi, Iowa, and Wyoming.
Meanwhile—over in West Virginia—about 47 percent of those polled say that they experience stress on an average day. Rhode Island, Kentucky, Utah, and Massachusetts round out the five most stressed states.
Gallup has based their polls on daily surveys conducted from January to December of 2012 and count more than 350,000 interviews. Nationally, 40.6 percent of Americans experienced stress, which is similar to past years. So much for all those think-pieces.
LEAST STRESSED STATES
- Hawaii 32.1%
- Louisiana 37.6%
- Mississippi 37.9%
- Iowa 38.1%
- Wyoming 38.6%
MOST STRESSED STATES
- West Virginia 47.1%
- Rhode Island 46.3%
- Kentucky 44.8%
- Utah 44.6%
- Massachusetts 43.4%
[Gallup, image via Lorcel / Shutterstock]