Over half of UK workers would not be comfortable taking a day off work due to stress, despite the majority believing stress in an illness, new research shows. 

Results of an independent survey commission by Time4Sleep.co.uk* show that work is the top source of stress for adults, with 53 percent of respondents admitting it impacts their stress levels. However, 51 percent of those polled admitted they would not feel comfortable taking a day off work due to stress and telling their employer the reason for their absence, with 26 percent saying they would be “not at all comfortable”. Each year 11.3 million working days are lost as result of stress, depression or anxiety, according to the Health and Safety Executive, and almost two-thirds of respondents polled by Time4Sleep said they consider stress to be an illness.

Workplace relationships were shown to be by far the biggest source of work stress, ahead of more common grumbles such as commuting or receiving too many emails. More than half of respondents (51 percent) said dealing with difficult customers or clients causes stress at work, 36 percent said a demanding boss is a source of stress and 34 percent named colleague relationships.

Long working hours were also revealed to be a significant cause of stress for 33 percent of those polled. Jonathan Warren, Director at Time4Sleep, said: “The results of our survey show that despite the majority of people seeing stress as an illness, many of us are unwilling to speak about it in the workplace. In fact, just 4 percent said they turn to their boss when they're stressed despite work being the biggest cause of stress for adults and only one in 10 speak to colleagues. “Stress leads to a variety of health issues, including sleeping problems and difficulty concentrating, and it’s important to recognise the symptoms early. You can learn more about spotting stress and dealing with the symptoms in the Time4Sleep Relaxation Zone.”