Global Stress ReportFebruary 5, 2026
🌱 Early Days Notice
This is our first-ever report. The dataset is small — some countries have just a handful of contributors, and some patterns might be noise rather than signal. We're sharing anyway because (a) it's already interesting, and (b) transparency matters. As more people join, the data gets sharper. Consider this a snapshot of a map still being drawn.
The Big Picture
This is our very first report — and already, the data is telling stories.
Over the past 10 days, 238 contributions from Apple Watch users across 8 countries were recorded. The global average landed at 52.4 — right in the middle of our "Normal" range (50-80).
But averages hide the interesting stuff. Let's dig in.
United Kingdom: Winter Impact
United Kingdom: 39.2 · Attention
The UK shows the highest stress indicators this period. With a score of 39 (where lower = more stressed), UK contributors reported elevated stress levels.
Why? Our best guess: Winter Blues.
February in the UK is characterized by short days, limited sunlight, and cold weather. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is well-documented in Northern Europe during late winter, which may contribute to these patterns.
We'll be monitoring whether scores improve as spring approaches.
Egypt: Strong Performance
Egypt: 84.0 · Great
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Egyptian contributors show strong wellbeing scores. A score of 84 places Egypt firmly in the "Great" category.
Factors such as sunshine and warmer weather may contribute to these higher scores.
The contrast is striking: UK (39) vs Egypt (84). That's a 45-point gap between two countries experiencing the same calendar date but very different winters.
United States: State Analysis
National Average: 52.2 · Normal
170 contributions across 14 states
The US tells a more nuanced story. While the national average appears healthy, some states show elevated stress levels:
| State | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|
| California | 26 | Overload |
| Colorado | 43 | Attention |
| New York | 48 | Attention |
| Florida | 63 | Normal |
| Texas | 59 | Normal |
Notable finding: California shows the lowest stress scores among tracked states.
February marks California's peak rainy season, characterized by atmospheric rivers, storm systems, and extended cloud cover. These weather patterns align with the observed stress patterns.
Meanwhile, Florida and Texas — with their warmer February weather — are doing just fine.
Dataset Growth
We started with 8 users on January 25th. By January 30th, we hit 31 users in a single day.
While the dataset is still nascent, meaningful patterns are beginning to emerge.
Every new contributor makes the map more accurate. Every data point helps researchers understand stress better.
Key Observations
Even with limited data, some hypotheses are forming:
- Weather correlation. Regions with more sunshine show higher scores, while winter-affected areas trend lower.
- SAD is real. The UK's low score in February aligns perfectly with Seasonal Affective Disorder research.
- Geography ≠ Destiny. California proves that even "sunny" places have stressed seasons.
Next Report
We'll be back with more data, more countries, and (hopefully) more insights.
As the dataset grows, so does our ability to spot trends — weekly patterns, event-driven spikes, seasonal shifts. This is just the beginning.
When citing this data, please use: "Data from Stress Map (stress-map.org), powered by anonymous contributions from Stress Monitor for Watch users worldwide"
Help Us Grow the Data
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