Last updated: October 2026
Stress at work is a harmful reaction to more pressure or demand than you can cope with in your job. Common signs are poor sleep, irritability, headaches, constant worry and trouble concentrating. In the UK your employer has a legal duty to assess and reduce work stress, so raise it early, and see a GP if it’s affecting your health.
Below: the signs, the six main causes, how big the problem is in the UK, what you can do day to day, exactly what to say to your manager, your rights, and when to get help.
If you’re struggling right now: you don’t have to wait until things are worse. Call 999 or go to A&E if you feel you can’t keep yourself safe. For urgent help that isn’t an emergency, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option. Samaritans are free to call any time on 116 123.
Signs of stress at work
Stress shows up in your body, your thinking and your behaviour. To tell if work is the cause, look for a pattern: do the signs ease at weekends or on holiday and return on Sunday night?
| Type | Common signs |
|---|---|
| Physical | Headaches or dizziness, muscle tension, stomach problems, a faster heartbeat, poor sleep |
| Mental | Struggling to concentrate or make decisions, feeling overwhelmed, constant worry, forgetfulness, feeling negative or isolated |
| Behaviour | Being snappy, eating more or less, drinking or smoking more, withdrawing from colleagues |
| At work | Arriving later, taking more time off, working longer hours to keep up, being more tearful, sensitive or short with people, losing motivation and confidence |
The first three rows come from the NHS, the last from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). For the full list of physical and emotional signs, see stress symptoms. If the dread mainly hits before the working week starts, our guide to the Sunday scaries may sound familiar.
The HSE points out that these signs can also be symptoms of other conditions, so it’s worth seeing a GP if they last more than a few weeks.
What causes stress at work: the six HSE areas
The HSE groups the causes of work-related stress into six areas of work design. If they aren’t managed well, they’re linked with poor health, lower productivity and more sickness absence. Knowing which area is the problem makes it much easier to ask for something specific.
| Area | What it can look like | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Demands | Too much work, tight deadlines, long hours, a noisy or uncomfortable workspace | Agreed priorities: what can be dropped, delayed or shared, and realistic deadlines |
| Control | Little say in how, when or in what order you work | More say over how you plan your day, your breaks or your hours, or a flexible working request |
| Support | No feedback, training or resources; a manager who is never available | Regular check-ins, the training you need, and a named person to go to |
| Relationships | Conflict, bullying, harassment or being left out | Use the bullying or grievance policy; ask for mediation or a different reporting line |
| Role | Unclear or conflicting expectations; two people giving you different priorities | Clear objectives in writing and one person who sets your priorities |
| Change | Restructures, new systems or rumours with little information | Early, honest updates, a chance to ask questions and time to train |
The HSE notes that skills, experience, age or disability all affect how well someone copes with the same job. Feeling like a fraud in a new role can add to it: see imposter syndrome. And if you’re carrying the planning at home as well as at work, the pressure stacks up: see the mental load.
How common is work-related stress in the UK?
Very common, and rising. The HSE’s latest annual figures for Great Britain, published in November 2025 and covering 2024/25, show:
- 964,000 workers had work-related stress, depression or anxiety (new or long-standing), a rate of 2,770 per 100,000 workers.
- 409,000 of those were new cases that year.
- 22.1 million working days were lost, an average of 22.9 days per case.
- Stress, depression or anxiety made up 52% of all work-related ill health and 62% of working days lost to work-related ill health.
- Rates in each of the latest three years were higher than before the pandemic (2018/19).
Rates were highest in public administration and defence, health and social work, and education. Workers most often blamed workload pressures (including tight deadlines and too much responsibility) and a lack of support from managers.
Pressure or stress: how much is too much?
Some pressure is normal, even motivating. In the HSE’s words, stress “is not an illness, but it can make you ill”. The line is crossed when the demands keep outweighing your resources (time, skills, support and say over your work) for weeks rather than days.
Research shows why it’s worth acting early:
- High demands with low control. A 2017 meta-analysis of cohort studies found that “job strain”, the combination of high demands and little control, was linked with a higher risk of clinical depression. In the published studies, the risk was about 1.8 times higher; in larger unpublished datasets it was about 1.3 times higher.
- Effort without reward. A 2017 review of eight cohort studies with nearly 85,000 employees found that people who felt their effort wasn’t matched by pay, recognition or security had about a 1.5 times higher risk of depressive disorders.
- Long hours. A 2015 analysis of over 600,000 people found that working 55 hours or more a week was linked with a 33% higher risk of stroke than a standard 35 to 40 hour week.
These studies show links, not proof that work alone caused the problems, but they echo the HSE’s six areas. If you’re exhausted, detached and dreading work most days, you may be moving towards burnout, which is the end point of long-term work stress.
How to deal with stress at work day to day
Self-help won’t fix a job that is genuinely too much; that’s for your employer to address. These steps can take the edge off while you tackle the cause.
- Name the cause. The NHS says identifying the cause is the first step. Note when you feel worst for a week, then match it to the six areas above.
- Take control of what you can. The NHS points out that feeling you have no control makes stress worse. Choose one thing you can change this week, however small.
- Work smarter, not harder. Prioritise the tasks that matter, leave the least important to last, and accept that you won’t get to everything. Fewer small choices help too: see decision fatigue.
- Take your breaks. If you work more than 6 hours a day, you’re usually entitled to an uninterrupted 20-minute break, plus 11 hours’ rest between working days. Use it to get away from your desk and outside if you can.
- Set limits on out-of-hours contact. Turn off notifications after a set time, take work email off your phone, and agree response times with your team. A meta-analysis of 86 published studies found that people who mentally switch off from work in their own time report less exhaustion and better sleep and wellbeing.
- Learn to say no, or “not yet”. “I can do that if X moves to next week” is a fair answer, and a clearer one than quietly taking on too much.
- Calm your body in the moment. A few minutes of slow breathing between meetings can help: try box breathing or the quick techniques in how to calm down.
- Move every day and protect your sleep. The NHS says exercise won’t make stress disappear but can reduce its emotional intensity. More ideas: how to relieve stress and how to lower cortisol naturally.
- Avoid the crutches. The NHS warns that alcohol, smoking and caffeine bring short-term relief but create new problems.
- Talk to someone. A colleague, friend or family member. Working from home can make stress harder to spot: see working from home and mental health.
Keeping it all in? See stress in men and high-functioning anxiety.
How to talk to your manager about stress at work
The HSE advises talking to your manager as soon as possible, because it gives them the chance to help before things get worse. Stress is not a weakness and can happen to anyone. Before you go in:
- Ask for a private meeting, in person or on a call, not a corridor chat.
- Bring two or three specific examples and link them to one of the six areas.
- Have one or two concrete requests ready. You don’t have to share medical details.
What to say: a simple script
“I wanted to flag early that I’m finding work stressful at the moment, and it’s starting to affect my sleep and focus. The main issue is [workload / unclear priorities / a working relationship / the restructure]. For example, [two specific examples].
What would help is [agreeing which projects come first / moving the X deadline / a weekly check-in / clearer information about the changes]. Could we also look at a stress risk assessment, or an individual action plan, so we can review how it’s going in a month?”
Afterwards, send a short email summarising what you agreed. It keeps a record and makes the plan easier to review. If the problem is your manager, the HSE suggests checking your workplace policies and talking to HR, a trade union or worker representative, an employee assistance or counselling service if there is one, or a mental health first aider.
Your rights: what your employer must do
- A stress risk assessment. Under health and safety law, employers have a legal duty to assess the risks to your health from stress at work and act on them, just as they would any other risk. The HSE says they should share the results with you. If there are five or more workers, the assessment must be written down.
- Duty of care. Acas says employers must do all they reasonably can to support workers’ wellbeing, treating mental and physical health as equally important.
- Reasonable adjustments if it’s a disability. Stress on its own isn’t classed as a medical condition, but long-term stress can lead to anxiety or depression. Under the Equality Act 2010, a mental health condition can count as a disability if it has a substantial, long-term effect (lasting, or expected to last, 12 months or more) on your normal daily activities. Your employer must then make reasonable adjustments, such as more rest breaks or help prioritising your workload. The Equality Act doesn’t apply in Northern Ireland, which has its own rules.
- Flexible working. All employees can ask for flexible working (different hours, start and finish times, days or place of work) from their first day in a job. Employers must deal with requests reasonably but can refuse for a good business reason. Different rules apply in Northern Ireland.
- Access to Work mental health support. This government scheme can offer a tailored plan and one-to-one sessions with a mental health professional to help you stay in work. You don’t need a diagnosis to apply, but you must be 16 or over, in paid work and living in England, Scotland or Wales (Northern Ireland has a different system). You can only get the mental health support once.
If you need time off, a GP can give you a fit note. Our guide to being signed off work with stress covers fit notes, sick pay and going back. For advice on a dispute, Acas or your trade union are good first stops.
Supplements and a steady routine
No supplement fixes stress at work: the job, your sleep and your support matter most. If you’d like something as part of a steady routine, here is what ours are, honestly.
Our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex is an evening drink made with magnesium bisglycinate and citrate, plus glycine, L-theanine and botanicals. Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function. It also contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
Our Flow CBD Oil combines broad spectrum CBD with ashwagandha and maca in MCT oil. CBD isn’t a treatment for stress or anxiety, and neither is Flow. Because it contains ashwagandha, it isn’t suitable if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you have a thyroid or liver condition or take any medication: see ashwagandha side effects. The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
All our products are for adults (18+) only. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
When to get help
- See a GP if you’re struggling to cope, the things you’re trying aren’t helping, or stress is affecting your sleep, health or relationships. A GP can check for other causes, talk through treatment and give you a fit note if you need time off.
- Time off: for 7 days or less you can usually self-certify. If you’re off sick for more than 7 days in a row, including weekends, you’ll need a fit note.
- Talking therapy: if you’re 18 or over (16 in some areas) and registered with a GP in England, you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies without seeing your GP first. Some employers also offer free counselling.
- Urgent help: call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, or ask for an urgent GP appointment.
- Someone to talk to: Samaritans on 116 123, free, any time.
- Emergency: call 999 or go to A&E if you feel you can’t keep yourself safe.
Watch for the signs that stress is turning into burnout: exhaustion that rest doesn’t fix, feeling numb or cynical about work, and making more mistakes. Our burnout guide explains the stages and how to recover.
FAQs
What are the signs of stress at work?
Common signs include poor sleep, headaches, tense muscles, irritability, constant worry, trouble concentrating, eating or drinking more, taking more time off or working longer hours to keep up. Signs that ease at weekends and return on Sunday night point to work as the cause.
What are the main causes of work-related stress?
The HSE names six areas: demands (workload and hours), control (your say in how you work), support, relationships (including bullying), role (unclear or conflicting expectations) and change. Workload pressure and a lack of managerial support are the causes UK workers mention most.
Does my employer have to do a stress risk assessment?
Yes. Employers have a legal duty to assess the risk of stress at work and act on it, like any other health and safety risk, and to share the results with you. With five or more workers, the assessment must be written down.
How many people have work-related stress in the UK?
The HSE estimates 964,000 workers in Great Britain had work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2024/25, with 22.1 million working days lost. It accounts for over half of all work-related ill health.
Is stress at work classed as a disability?
Stress on its own isn’t usually a disability. But if it leads to a mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression, that has a substantial effect on daily life for 12 months or more, it can count under the Equality Act 2010, and your employer must make reasonable adjustments.
Can I get signed off work with stress?
Yes. You can self-certify for up to 7 days. After that, a GP or other healthcare professional can give you a fit note saying you’re not fit for work, or that you may be fit with changes such as different hours or duties.
Sources
- HSE. Work-related stress, depression or anxiety statistics in Great Britain, 2025 (published 20 November 2025).
- HSE. What are the Management Standards? and Help for workers on stress at work.
- HSE. Stress risk assessment.
- NHS. Stress and 10 stress busters.
- Acas. Supporting mental health at work and Reasonable adjustments.
- GOV.UK. Access to Work, Rest breaks at work, Flexible working and Taking sick leave.
- Madsen IEH et al (2017). Job strain as a risk factor for clinical depression: systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine.
- Rugulies R et al (2017). Effort-reward imbalance at work and risk of depressive disorders. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health.
- Kivimäki M et al (2015). Long working hours and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. The Lancet.
- Wendsche J, Lohmann-Haislah A (2017). A meta-analysis on antecedents and outcomes of detachment from work. Frontiers in Psychology.
This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. Evopure makes the Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex and Flow CBD Oil.
