Most of Us are Stress Streaming

Most of Us are Stress Streaming

May 5, 2020

This week, we look at some interesting data that reveals just how many streaming service users are stressed out, what's getting under the skin, and what content they turn to when feeling stressed out.Looking for weekly streaming recommendations and news? We have that for you too. 

Streamer's Spotlight: Stressed Out Streaming

Stress is a common problem, especially in the US. But when we start getting stressed, what shows do we watch to help ease our nerves? Our

of over 1,000 streaming service users uncovered some interesting takeaways at the intersection of streaming videos and stress-out individuals.

Most of Us Are Just a Little Stressed

Perhaps unsurprisingly, most of us are at least a little stressed. In fact, over 48% of respondents in our survey claimed to experience stress "some of the time," while over 11% are stressed "most of the time." Moderate stress is also the most common severity level, with 56% of respondents feeling more than just a little uneasy. However, a startlingly large percentage --- 17.6% --- suffer from severe or extreme stress.

Why is everyone so stressed? Mostly finances. Worry about paying for bills is a heavy hitter on the stress trigger, with over 42% of respondents pointing to money as the key to their anxiety. Work was also a common answer, with nearly 30% of respondents pointing to it.

Stress-Related Streaming

The survey data confirms what most of us already know: Stress can increase how much we stream. What we're calling "comfort streaming," 45.3% of people who are stressed are more likely to stream when stressed.

What's more, those who feel stressed more often stream 3.6 hours of content per day, compared to 2.9 hours for those who are seldom stressed. And those who suffer from severe or extreme stress watch 3.1 hours per day, compared to just 3.1 hours per day for those who suffer mild stress.

Most of us do, in fact, think streaming is cure for what ails us. A large majority (67%) finds streaming helpful in reducing stress.

A Comedy of Familiarity

What do we turn to when we're most stressed out? Half of us turn to something familiar, and mostly shows like

The Office, Parks

and

Recreation,

and

Friends.

The other half of us like to watch something new. And, unsurprisingly, 73% of all stressed-out streaming service users head straight for comedy.

That holds true even when you account for gender. We found 73% of men and nearly 72% of women prefer comedies when they're feeling stressed.

There are some gender-based genre preferences, however. Men are more than twice as likely as women to watch action or sci-fi when stressed. And women are more than twice as likely to watch romance and reality TV when they need to calm their nerves.

We also don't want our comfort shows to go away. Over 1/3 of stress streamers have followed their comfort shows to a new streaming service, and over 1/3 would be willing to switch services just to get to their favorite show. That certainly doesn't bode well for Netflix once it loses

The Office

in the coming months.

Find Out More Video Chatting Insights

Interested in more insights from our stress streaming study? Just head over to the

for additional stats and research methodologies.

This Week's Streaming Guide

1. Jerry Seinfeld is Back on the Comedy Stage

The venerable Seinfeld is back with a Netflix comedy special available TODAY. Stream. -

2. Australian Hit Drama 'Bad Mothers' Premieres on Sundance Now

One of the most popular TV dramas to come out of Australia, Bad Mothers makes its US debut this Thursday on Sundance Now. -

3. Hulu Documentary 'Spaceship Earth' Takes a Closer Look at BIOSPHERE 2

An odd experiment that inspired comedy movies for years later, Hulu's Spaceship Earth documentary takes a close look at the BIOSPHERE 2 project. The documentary is available on this Friday. -

4. 'Accident, Suicide or Murder' returns for Season 2

Can you guess whether a death was an accident, suicide, or murder? Watch

Accident, Suicide or Murder

Season 2 on Oxygen starting at 6 PM this Saturday. -

News and Industry Developments

1. Disney+ in a Content Crunch Due to Coronavirus

The limited library and limited ability to produce new content leaves Disney+ in a less-than-ideal position -

2. YouTube TV Offering Extended Free Trials on Some Content

If you're using or thinking about using YouTube TV, you may be able to get an extended free trial on some premium content. -

3. How Bad Will Cord-Cutting During Coronavirus Get?

Bad. Real Bad. And that's horrible news for cable TV companies. -

4. PlutoTV Added Four AMC Network Channels

Free streaming service PlutoTV added additional AMC Network channels to its large line-up. -

This Month's Featured Stream

disney-plus-channels

The best of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. From new releases, to your favorite classics, and exclusive Originals, there's always something new to discover for all ages at $6.99/mo.

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