The Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory is one of psychology's most validated stress measurement tools, assigning scores to 43 common life events to assess your illness risk from accumulated stress.
Tick all life events that have happened to you in the last 12 months.
Tick every life event that has happened to you in the last 12 months. Each event has a point value — your total reveals your stress load.
Developed in 1967 by psychiatrists Holmes and Rahe, this tool assigns scores to 43 common life events based on research linking them to illness risk. Scores are cumulative — the more events experienced, the higher the physiological stress load.
Score 0–149: Low risk (~30% chance of illness)
Score 150–299: Moderate risk (~50%)
Score 300+: High risk (~80%)
High scores don't inevitably lead to illness — resilience, social support, exercise, and good sleep are powerful protective factors. If you're feeling overwhelmed, speaking with your GP or a mental health professional is a positive step.