- A 2021 report from America Health Rankings revealed which states are considered the least stressed in the US.
- South Dakota ranked above Hawaii and Illinois for most relaxed, analysts from Diamond Rehab Thailand say.
Most people think of a sunny beach when they hear the word "relaxation," but recent data shows that South Dakota is the most relaxed state in the US.
According to a 2021 annual report from America's Health Rankings, there are 10 states that rank above the rest based on several categories, including their physical environment, clinical care and socioeconomic factors. South Dakota claimed the number one spot, beating out the likes of Hawaii and Alaska.
These factors helped determine which states could be classified as the "most relaxed," according to analysts from rehabilitation center Diamond Rehab Thailand.
| Rank | State | Frequent mental distress % | Frequent physical distress % |
| 1 | South Dakota | 9.4 | 7.9 |
| 2 | Hawaii | 10.7 | 7.3 |
| 3 | Illinois | 10 | 8.7 |
| 4 | Alaska | 9.9 | 8.8 |
| 5 | Maryland | 12.2 | 7.3 |
| 6 | North Dakota | 11.3 | 8.2 |
| 7 | Nebraska | 11.9 | 7.9 |
| 8 | New Jersey | 12.3 | 7.9 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | 12.9 | 7.7 |
| 10 | Minnesota | 12.2 | 8.1 |
"Being in nature is incredibly relaxing, with a number of scientific reasons to back this up," Lee Beardsley, a spokesperson from Diamond Rehab Thailand, told Insider.
"The state is home to two national parks and 63 state parks, and with the state's low population density, the hustle and bustle of everyday life is easier to bear and unplug from with nature right on your doorstep."
A March report from WalletHub ranked the state 48th in its list of most-to-least stressed states based on work, money, family, and health-related stress.
According to the survey, people in South Dakota rank second only to Minnesota in the average number of hours they sleep each night. However, the state ranked in the top five for the average hours worked per week.
"It can be understood that most, if not all, people find stress at some point in their lives whether it be a big decision, finances or other causes," Beardsley said.
"However, this data highlights where people are being hindered the most by stress, and it's shocking to see the difference between the most relaxed and most stressed states considering it's all in one single country."