The 5 Most Stressed-Out States Around the Holidays

It takes a lot of stress and planning to make the holidays run smoothly. On top of braving hordes of shoppers and wrapping presents, you have to deal with cooking, cleaning, traveling, and tip-toeing around politics with your family.

Some states are better at handling the pressures of the season than others. To determine which states are feeling the most holiday stress, life insurance research company TermLife2Go.com analyzed Google search data for terms like"stress relief" and "psychological stress" during late November and December of last year. According to their findings, the Midwest has some of the most stressed-out residents in the country, with North Dakota nabbing the highest search volume for stress-related terms, followed by Nebraska and Oklahoma. Holiday anxiety is also getting to people in New England with New Hampshire ranking fourth and Massachusetts ranking fifth.

Interestingly enough, the Midwest is also home to two of the states with the lowest search volume for stress-related terms: Wyoming and Kansas. Based on search trends, residents of Alaska feel the most chilled-out in the weeks leading up to the holidays. South Carolina and Washington, D.C. are pretty relaxed about all the holiday madness, too.

Feeling anxious this time of year is common, with most Americans reporting stress during the season. According to one survey, 47 percent of people cite money as one of their biggest stressors. If holiday expenses have you frazzled, here are some ways to relieve your financial worries.