When we face changes in life, we experience stress. A moderate amount of stress can be a good thing. It can cause us to “be on our toes” so to speak. In other words, it can improve our performance and attention to things that are important to attend to. A stress-free life might be interesting in fantasy, but I’m not sure any of us would really want this in our lives. A moderate amount of stress can make us stretch our capacities and grow stronger. Severe and long-term stress can lead to a number of health and emotional problems.
Take a look at the Holmes and Rahe stress scale below. Check each item that have occurred in your life in the past year to get an idea about your ongoing stress level. The higher your score, the more important it is for you to find healthy ways to manage your stress for your physical and emotional health.
Research by Holmes and Rahe’s(1) suggest the following for interpreting your scores:
Score of 300+: At risk of illness. Nearly 80% will develop a physical illness in the near future.
Score of 150-299+: Risk of illness is moderate (reduced by 30% from the above risk). Approximately 50 percent will become ill in the near future.
Score of less than 150-: Only have a slight risk of illness. Approximately 30% will become ill in the near future.
| Life event | Life change units |
|---|---|
| Death of a spouse | 100 |
| Divorce | 73 |
| Marital separation | 65 |
| Imprisonment | 63 |
| Death of a close family member | 63 |
| Personal injury or illness | 53 |
| Marriage | 50 |
| Dismissal from work | 47 |
| Marital reconciliation | 45 |
| Retirement | 45 |
| Change in health of family member | 44 |
| Pregnancy | 40 |
| Sexual difficulties | 39 |
| Gain a new family member | 39 |
| Business readjustment | 39 |
| Change in financial state | 38 |
| Death of a close friend | 37 |
| Change to different line of work | 36 |
| Change in frequency of arguments | 35 |
| Major mortgage | 32 |
| Foreclosure of mortgage or loan | 30 |
| Change in responsibilities at work | 29 |
| Child leaving home | 29 |
| Trouble with in-laws | 29 |
| Outstanding personal achievement | 28 |
| Spouse starts or stops work | 26 |
| Begin or end school | 26 |
| Change in living conditions | 25 |
| Revision of personal habits | 24 |
| Trouble with boss | 23 |
| Change in working hours or conditions | 20 |
| Change in residence | 20 |
| Change in schools | 20 |
| Change in recreation | 19 |
| Change in church activities | 19 |
| Change in social activities | 18 |
| Minor mortgage or loan | 17 |
| Change in sleeping habits | 16 |
| Change in number of family reunions | 15 |
| Change in eating habits | 15 |
| Vacation | 13 |
| Christmas | 12 |
| Minor violation of law | 11 |
References:
(1) Holmes TH, Rahe RH (1967). “The Social Readjustment Rating Scale”. J Psychosom Res 11 (2): 213–8. DOI:10.1016/0022-3999(67)90010-4. PMID 6059863.