A new study has revealed that 60% of Brits consider Valentine’s Day to be the ‘most stressful’ day of the whole year.
And to be honest, who can really blame them?
In case you need a little reminder, the most romantic day of them all – also known as Valentine’s Day – is this weekend (14 February), and if the findings of some new research by popular chewing gum, Extra, is anything to go by, then that spells stress for more than half of the British population.
Many lucky – or unlucky – lovers have a story to tell about a time the big V Day has crept up on them, and so they have resorted to spending either the day before or the day itself running around as quick as they can trying to grab gifts and make last-minute plans in a bid to pass it off like they haven’t forgotten all about it.
Situations like this are probably why more than half (60%) of us consider Valentine’s Day to be such as stressful day, and even when we do remember, it can still be a pretty nerve-wracking experience.
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60% of Brits apparently think Valentine’s Day is the ‘most stressful’ day of the year / Credit: Pixahive | Pexels
Valentine’s Day is among the top 10 times of year when people experience so-called ‘microstresses’, according to Extra’s research results – with one in eight (13%) feeling even more stressed around the day than at Christmas.
A quarter (24%) of survey respondents said they found that the pressure to have plans or a date on Valentine’s Day was the cause of their microstresses, whilst almost a fifth (17%) put it down to struggling to know what to buy their partner to celebrate.
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When it comes to here in Manchester in particular, the survey revealed that almost one in five (18%) Mancunians think knowing what gift to buy to buy for their partner on Valentine’s Day is a ‘microstress’, while Mancs also feel leaving it too late to get a good restaurant reservation is more of a microstress than the average Brit (14% vs 10%).
‘Microstresses’ may feel harmless in the moment – but, just as a recent study in the Harvard Business Review has found, they can slowly build up over time and create more long-term issues for an individuals’ wellbeing.
Apparently, the study found that one of the best ways to combat such microstresses is by taking time to “invest in close relationships” and take part in activities that “help to keep stresses at bay”.
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So, what’s your thoughts on all this then? Is Valentine’s Day a cause of stress for you? Or do you see it as a walk in the park?
Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
You can now have a private sleepover amongst all the history inside Manchester Museum
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum is now offering one lucky family the chance to have a sleepover with Stan the Tyrannosaurus rex.
For the first time in Manchester Museum’s history, one lucky family will be given the chance to experience an incredible night at the museum.
This unique opportunity is being offered as part of a prize draw, allowing visitors to find out what happens once the sun goes down inside the Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery – in the company of Stan, the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, of course.
The Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery is one of the most iconic spaces within Manchester Museum.
Having opened to the public all the way back in 1888, it’s part of the museum’s original building designed by celebrated Alfred Waterhouse, who also designed Manchester Town Hall and London’s Natural History Museum.
Not only will the lucky winning family enjoy an overnight stay in the gallery, but they’ll also be treated to a guided torchlight tour of the galleries after the Museum has closed, as well as other fun activities and a film screening too before bed.
You can now have a private sleepover inside Manchester Museum / Credit: The Manc Group
“We can’t be completely sure what happens when the sun goes down in our Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery, because nobody has ever spent the night in there before, but we can only imagine the kind of fun that can be had with Stan the T. rex and his friends,” said Dean Whiteside, Head of Commercial and Operations at Manchester Museum.
“This is a chance to be a part of museum history and enjoy the kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience you can’t usually buy.
“At the same time, Manchester Museum is a charity so, by getting behind this initiative, you’ll be helping to support vital work that impacts the lives of people across Greater Manchester and beyond.”
Fancy it then? You can enter the prize draw by buying a ticket for £5 from the Manchester Museum Shop, with each ticket counting as one entry and the winner set to be chosen at random from all valid entries.
The prize draw is now open and closes on Monday 28 September 2026.
Emily Sergeant -
12th February 2026 
