Stress test: where do you stand right now?
Nine questions about your sleep, mindset and body to check in on your stress. Instant results, with the areas to work on first.
Short answer
This test takes stock of the signs of stress you are currently experiencing: sleep, mood, fatigue, concentration. It offers guidance, not a diagnosis. If stress lasts more than a few weeks or interferes with your daily life, talk to your doctor.
Calculator
Validated inputs📊 Stress questionnaire
Answer each question honestly. Your score is calculated automatically.
Stress Score
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/100 • indicative score
Level
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Stress status
What to do
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based on your score
😴 Sleep
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/30
🧠 Mental
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/35
💪 Physical
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/35
⚡ Personalized recommendations
💡 A high score does not mean you are “weak”: it indicates that several signs of stress are building up right now.
💡 This questionnaire is not scientifically validated. For a reference measure, the Perceived Stress Scale PSS-10 is the most widely used tool in research.
💡 If your score exceeds 50, consult a healthcare professional for a more thorough assessment. Chronic stress can be treated and prevented.
What the tool measures
Chronic stress: how it feels and what biology shows
Acute stress is useful: it mobilises energy to face a challenge. The problem starts when it never stops. In 1993, researcher Bruce McEwen proposed the concept of allostatic load: the wear and tear that builds up when stress-response systems remain engaged for too long.
In a cohort of older adults, higher allostatic load, measured using about ten markers such as blood pressure, cholesterol and stress hormones, was associated with greater decline and mortality. This questionnaire measures none of those markers. It records symptoms you feel, which is already useful for knowing what to address.
In research, the standard tool for perceived stress is the Perceived Stress Scale, or PSS-10.
Interpreting the result
Interpret without overpromising
- 25 or less: few signs of stress.
- 26 to 45: some signs; work on one area at a time.
- 46 to 65: many signs. If they persist, talk to your doctor.
- Over 65: pronounced signs; consult a professional.
The sleep, mental and physical subscores show where to focus your efforts first. The lowest possible score is 20, even with the most favorable answers.
Calculation and assumptions
Methodology
- Nine questions scored from 1 to 5: sleep quality and duration, anxiety, irritability, concentration, fatigue, recovery, estimated resting heart rate and caffeine.
- Sleep: 2 questions, scaled to 30 points.
- Mental: 3 questions, scaled to 35 points.
- Physical: 4 questions, scaled to 35 points.
- Total score = sum of the three, out of 100.
The weighting and thresholds are choices made by the site. They have not been validated in a study.
Sources consulted
Sources
- McEwen et Stellar (1993) : Stress and the individual, mechanisms leading to disease
Paper introducing the concept of allostatic load.
- Seeman et al. (2001) : Allostatic load as a marker of cumulative biological risk, MacArthur studies of successful aging
In a cohort of older adults, high allostatic load is associated with greater decline and mortality.
- Cohen et al. (1983) : A global measure of perceived stress
Original paper on the Perceived Stress Scale, the reference tool in research.
Scope of validity
Limitations to know
- This questionnaire is not validated and does not diagnose an anxiety disorder, depression or burnout.
- Fatigue, sleep problems and an elevated heart rate may have a medical cause: anemia, a thyroid disorder, sleep apnea.
- If you're having dark thoughts, call 3114, free and available 24 hours a day. In an emergency, call 15 or 112.
Frequently asked questions
Before using the result
How do I know if I'm too stressed?
Signs lasting several weeks should raise concern: disrupted sleep, irritability, fatigue, trouble concentrating, physical tension. This test helps identify them; a doctor helps investigate the cause.
What is allostatic load?
It's the wear and tear that chronic stress puts on the body. In research, it is measured using biological markers such as blood pressure, blood glucose or cortisol, not a questionnaire.
How can you reduce stress quickly?
A few minutes of slow breathing, a walk or a break from screens can help in the moment. Over time, sleep, physical activity and social connections matter most.
When should you seek help for stress?
When it lasts more than a few weeks, interferes with your work or relationships, or comes with persistent sadness or dark thoughts. Your GP is a good first point of contact.