Two-thirds of British people describe themselves as at the end of their tether, while a fifth start feeling stressed before breakfast, according to a poll for the Relaxation for Living Institute.

The research found that British people spend a total of five and a half years of their adult life feeling strung out and tense.

It found that more than half of the population struggles to sleep at night, while one in two has headaches or migraines, 23% have digestive problems and 17% suffer panic attacks.

Almost half (42%) said they spend at least an eighth of the day feeling stressed out and on average, people are anxious for more than two hours a day.

The survey found that the biggest strain on people was money worries and financial uncertainty, followed by work pressures and relationships.

Another major cause of stress was the pressure to look good and people's self-image, with 45% of women and 24% of men citing it as a cause of anxiety.

The research revealed that people do not to know where to turn when they feel stressed, with just under 30% admitting they resort to alcohol.