Britons are making themselves ill with worry

Non-stop worrying is damaging the health of millions of Britons by triggering a range of unhealthy behaviours, from sleepless nights to loss of sex drive and erratic eating habits, according to a new report by BUPA, the UK’s leading provider of health and care.

Findings from BUPA’s 2007 Worry Report, the second annual survey conducted by BUPA UK Health Insurance to understand what Britons worry about and how worrying impacts health, show that almost one in five people worry constantly or about a lot of things, while over half feel they worry more now than five years ago.

Cancer, heart disease and obesity are top health worries

Health concerns are increasingly dominating the UK’s worry list, with 50 percent of those surveyed this year - up six percent on 2006 - saying they worry more for their health and their family’s health than about issues such as climate change or terrorist attacks.

Dr. Paula Franklin, deputy medical director at BUPA UK Health Insurance, commented: “Many factors are behind Britain’s growing health concerns. The most important and positive factor is rising health awareness, with many people now wanting to know more about their health and how to look after it. We are seeing this through increasing numbers of visitors to our free health web pages and more people investing in health assessments to monitor their wellbeing. With this increasing interest in health, however, comes a growing awareness of health problems and illnesses – such as cancer, heart disease and obesity – which were the top three health worries identified by BUPA’s 2007 Worry Report.”

No sleep, more drink for Britain’s worriers

The biggest worry of all is the impact anxiety is having on the health of Britons today. According to BUPA’s new report, more than a third (39 percent) of worriers experience sleepless nights, nearly half (43 percent) have their eating habits affected, while one in eight drink more alcohol to help them relax and one in thirteen lose their sex drive. Yet, in spite of the impact on their health, many people are doing nothing to address their worries, with 24 percent of worriers taking no action at all.

Dr. Franklin said: “The report highlights that almost a quarter of worriers are taking no action to deal with their anxieties and, as a result, their health is being affected. If you are experiencing frequent sleepless nights, loss of appetite or reduced interest in sex, or you are finding yourself turning to alcohol to forget about your problems, your worrying could be spiralling out of control. It is important you address your anxiety before your health is affected further.”

Self-help steps to reduce worry

The good news is that there are many simple self-help steps which can help reduce worry. BUPA Insurance’s Dr. Franklin suggests the following top tips to help cope with anxiety and stress:

Confiding in friends or family can help relieve the pressure of trying to deal with worries on your own
Writing down your worries in order of importance can help you decide which problems to tackle first
Avoiding high caffeine and alcohol intake can help you get a good night’s sleep
Eating a balanced diet can help ensure your body has the nutritional resources to deal with stress
Exercising regularly can relieve tension and help improve mood
Taking up a hobby can help take your mind off your worries

Dr. Franklin continued: “If your major worries relate to your health, it would be sensible to make an appointment with your GP. Another option would be to have a health assessment, which would give you plenty of time with a doctor to talk through your health concerns and have an in-depth check-up. I know that having time with a doctor is one of the things our health assessment customers value most and 97 percent of the 100,000 people we see annually say they feel reassured afterwards.”

As well as to health assessments, BUPA offers customers many other services to help reduce worry and stress, including a 24-hour HealthLine staffed by medical professionals and a range of free health fact sheets on its website, including advice on how to stop worrying and cope with stress, available at bupa.co.uk/health

For individuals particularly concerned about heart disease and cancer, BUPA Insurance has created a specialist Heart and Cancer policy, which offers cover specifically for these conditions. All BUPA customers have access to a network of specialist treatment centres for breast, bowel and gynaecological cancer and access to new drugs and treatments.