What is the Key to Beating Daily Stress? Research Study Finds Out
What is the Key to Beating Daily Stress? Research Study Finds Out
Even small boosts in perceived control can help resolve everyday hassles, researchers say
Be it a looming work deadline, an argument at home, or the daily grind of responsibilities, stress has become inseparable from modern life. A new study by researchers at Penn State suggests the secret to tackling it may lie in something surprisingly simple, feeling in control.
The study found that people who perceived greater control over their daily hassles were significantly more likely to resolve them. On days when participants felt more in control, they were 62% more likely to take action whether calling a plumber, finishing a task, or having a tough conversation. The effect was especially strong in older adults.
“This research shows that even small boosts in how much control people feel they have over everyday hassles make it more likely that those hassles actually get resolved,” said David Almeida, professor of human development and family studies at Penn State and senior author of the study. “Learning to find and act on these pockets of control in daily life may not only reduce stress but also support long-term health and well-being.”
The study asked 1,700 participants to report stressors they had faced in the past 24 hours and whether they were resolved by the end of the day. Stressors ranged from interpersonal conflicts and job-related issues to network stress problems affecting close family or friends.
Researchers found that perceived control fluctuated from day to day, rather than being a fixed trait. Importantly, on days when individuals felt a stronger sense of control than usual, they were more likely to successfully resolve stressors, regardless of the type or severity.
Over time, this effect grew stronger with age. At the beginning of the study, higher perceived control increased the odds of resolution by 61%. A decade later, the same perception of control raised the likelihood to 65%. “As we get older, not only do we have more control but that control helps us get better at handling stress,” lead author Dakota Witzel, now at South Dakota State University, noted.
The findings suggest that cultivating a sense of control, even in small, everyday decisions may help reduce stress and improve well-being. Researchers now plan to explore how this mechanism may also apply to chronic stress, where unresolved problems recur over long periods.
