Shropshire is a region of worriers, with image-conscious Salopians more concerned about getting the perfect body than they are about debt and careers, according to a new YouGov survey.

The study revealed the age-old cry of “How do I lose weight?” is one of the most common nagging question on the lips of residents, with more than a third of us wanting to slim down – only topped by how many want to cut down on household spending.

Weight loss has become a bigger worry than paying off debt (26 per cent) and a bigger concern than why we are having so many wet summers, according to the study of Shropshire and Herefordshire people. 

The survey, commissioned by website Ask.com, found more than half of us (59 per cent) dwell on a nagging qu- estion at least once a week. 

And it’s set to get worse, as two fifths of us worry more today than we did 10 years ago. 

Night time is worry time for nine out of 10 people – 92 per cent have had their sleep destroyed by a concern. And we must all be feeling exhausted as the average time to wake with a question on our mind is 3.51am.   

Behavioural psychologist Martin Goodyear said: “In today’s complex world, improvements in communication and 24 hour news mean that we are bombarded with more and more information to keep us awake at night.” 

So, where are we turning to find the answers to these nagging questions? It seems 91 per cent of us have abandoned old fashioned books and encyclopedias and almost half are most likely to turn to sophisticated online search engines. 

Asked who was the greatest questioner of all time according to people in Shropshire and Herefordshire, more than one in 10 claimed Isaac Newton asked the best questions.

And we all know that mums can nag at times so it’s not surprising that seven per cent think that their mother deserves the title. 

By Ben Bentley

So, what would you say is your biggest worry? What keeps you awake at night? We’ve taken some of our readers’ most common concerns and turned them into this handy poll. Simply tick your ailment and instantly feel that little bit better for getting it off your chest. Go on, press that button now…

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