Frankfurt: Germany's most stressful city urgently needs relaxation!

Frankfurt: Germany's most stressful city urgently needs relaxation!

Stress is a constant companion in modern society, and this is also reflected in the cities of Germany. According to a current analysis by the online medical practice ZAVA, Frankfurt will be the most stressed city in the country in 2025. The research is based on Google searches on topics such as “stress” and “reducing cortisol” and shows that Frankfurt leads with a “stress score” of 8.44 points on a scale of 10. Münster and Stuttgart follow in second and third place with values ​​of 7.71 and 7.56 points, respectively. In comparison, Bremen is the most relaxed city with a value of only 1.50 points, while the metropolis of Berlin also ranks in the lower range with 2.83 points. The study takes search queries over a month into account and extrapolates the values ​​over the year and per 100,000 inhabitants in order to create a fair basis for comparison, as fnp.de explains in detail.

What is exciting is that Frankfurt recorded 1,143 search queries on the topic of “stress” last year, while in Münster there were only 545 search queries. Particularly noteworthy is the increase in search queries for “lower cortisol” in Frankfurt, which increased by an impressive 26 percent compared to the previous year. In other cities such as Münster and Leipzig, citizens are also focusing on coping with stress - in Münster the number of search queries increased by 50 percent, in Leipzig even by 69 percent. This suggests that the pressure to act to combat stress is increasing, particularly in the Main metropolis.

Stress factors and their effects

Stress is not only an annoying feeling, but can also have health consequences. A study shows that stress is the main risk factor for physical and mental illnesses. A persistently high cortisol level caused by stress is a clear sign of significant stress. According to Statista, almost half of those surveyed perceive their work as the main stress factor. The average weekly working time in Germany is almost 35 hours, and high workloads and deadline pressure in particular contribute to the development of stress.

The corona pandemic has further increased stress levels; many would no longer be able to separate work and leisure time. More and more people are working from home and want incentives for better stress behavior. It is alarming that the number of sick days due to burnout has increased dramatically in recent years, from 4.6 days in 2004 to 88 days per 1,000 BKK members in 2021.

Looking for relaxation

So what can you do to escape the stress of everyday life? Mindfulness and stress management techniques are increasingly being cited as possible solutions. Whether meditation, yoga or simply taking a break - all of this could help reduce stress levels. Research shows that dealing with stress in a healthy way not only increases well-being, but also significantly influences the quality of life. Around 60 percent of people who are rarely stressed rate their health as good or very good, while only 38 percent of those who are frequently stressed share this assessment.

The comparison between cities shows that the stress index is a relevant measure of people's well-being. It is all the more important that all cities try to enable their citizens to live a stress-free life. Whether through leisure activities, better working conditions or education about stress management – ​​there is still a lot of room for improvement.