Clearwater, USA - May 29, 2022: Bridge over Tampa Bay, Florida with Uhaul u-haul trailer attached to car vehicle for moving relocation to state on interstate highway road freeway

Nearly a third of Americans would rather face the stress of divorce than move, according to HireAHelper.

Over half (55%) of Americans rate moving as highly stressful with one in 10 describing it as ‘traumatic’, the data showed, and nearly one in four injuring themselves during a move and 27% reporting joint pain, 22% reporting back injuries and 16% neck injuries.

Meanwhile, finances remain the top stressor for moving at 52%, followed by the stress put on household members (41%) and logistical changes (38%).

“Moving is a major life transition for many people,” said Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a quadruple board-certified physician by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

“You’re leaving behind familiar spaces, routines, and sometimes relationships, and that all adds up emotionally,” he added. “From a medical standpoint, your brain perceives big changes like this as a threat, which triggers your stress response. It’s not unusual to feel overwhelmed, anxious, or even physically exhausted during the process.”

According to Dr. Dasgupta, chronic stress hits the cardiovascular system, the immune system, the digestive system and even your brain. Over time, too much cortisol and inflammation can raise your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, gut issues, anxiety or depression.

The most common physical and mental symptoms of moving, according to HireAHelper:

  • Fatigue: 47%
  • Feeling burnt out: 45%
  • Difficulty sleeping: 37%
  • Neck injury: 16%
  • Feeling anxious: 50%
  • Feeling overwhelmed: 55%
  • Back injury: 22%
  • Joint pain: 27%

“There is strong evidence that chronic stress speeds up biological aging,” said Dr. Dasgupta.

“Stress affects telomeres, the protective caps on your DNA, and when those wear down faster, your cells age more quickly,” he added. “That’s been linked to a higher risk of early death, especially when stress is constant and unmanaged over time. Studies have linked major life changes to spikes in things like heart attacks, hospital visits, and even early death in some cases.”

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