A latest survey has revealed that stress levels in India remain very high compared to other developed and emerging countries such as the US, UK, Germany, France and Australia. Almost 82 per cent of India’s population suffers from stress and those in the sandwich generation (aged 35-49) are most affected with around 89 per cent reporting some level of stress, according to the 2019 ‘Cigna 360 Well-Being Survey – Well and Beyond’. The major causes of stress in the country today are work, health and finance-related issues.
When asked whether respondents knew their own body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure figures, India fared better than the global average showing an awareness of heart health indicators. The study said 61 per cent know their BMI (compared to 51 per cent globally) and 76 per cent know their blood pressure, compared to 66 per cent globally. However, they are aware of an average of 2.2 symptoms that may indicate potential heart problems compared to the global average of 2.4. Even worse, in the past six months, respondents experienced an average number of 2.3 symptoms compared to 1.8 globally.
According to the survey, 1 in 3 people don’t think high blood pressure is curable with lifestyle change suggesting a gap in heart health education while only 38 per cent of respondents use wearables to track and manage heart health. If the study is any indication, it is clear that Indians lack health education and are also under stress, mainly due to professional issues. While it is the duty of the government and workplaces to chalk out wellness programmes, it is also the responsibility of people to be aware of ailments, their health condition and to stay cool. For that, they should invest time and money in health, practice yoga, and more importantly, stay cool.