How's your stress level?

TAMPA - A stroll in the park is just what Lisa Marotta needs after a stressful day.

"Tampa, with the job loss, panhandlers on every corner and the desperate feeling, it's  stressful," she says.

Apparently Lisa isn't alone -- Forbes.com ranked the Tampa-St. Pete-Clearwater area as the fourth most stressful region in the country. Surprisingly, Tampa came ahead of cities like Detroit, Miami and New York.

According to the study, some factors lead to high anxiety: high unemployment, long commute times, long work hours and poor physical health.

But for Tampa resident Bea Smiley, nothing puts her on edge like driving on the interstate.

"The traffic -- oh my God, they re-did 275 from Ashley to Himes, it still backs up. Everybody's in the wrong lane," she said.

Tampa psychologist Dr. Jeremy Gaies is surprised to hear Tampa ranked so high on the stress meter, but says many people find it hard to be positive in a bad economy.

"If you don't have a job now, automatically you have a housing problem, because you can't afford your current rent or mortgage," Dr. Gaies said.

Mandy Sheppard is a single mother of four and can't stopping worrying about the future.

"I worry if I can make the bills. I have four sons, but three with me," Sheppard said.

The Bay Area also ranked high when it came to poor physical health, but Dr. Gaies says there are ways to destress in a stressful city.

"It means eating well on a regular basis. It means exercising regularly, taking time for fun and trying not to overload ourselves," Gaies said.