Gridlocked traffic, long commutes, and super expensive real estate have the experts at CNN placing L.A. on their list of the "10 Most Stressed Out Cities," falling only behind New York City and Detroit. Sure, it's a tough life in La-La-Land, but does the city really, truly deserve the 3rd spot on the list? 

It's hard to see how a city surrounded by sandy beaches and salty sea air could be as stressed out as the folks at CNN think it is. Not to mention that the list, L.A. residents smoke less, work less hours, and face way fewer cloudy days. So what could possibly be so stressful about living in this city? 

After all, we've only been usurped in "stress" by New York -- a notoriously busy, bustling city that never sleeps -- and Detroit, the bankrupt motor city full of urban blight. In fact, the city of Detroit is dealing with some big, big issues. Crime was five times higher than the rest of the nation in 2012, and while a major push is being made to fix the city and restore it to its former glory, the city's debt restructuring and revitalization efforts aren't making nearly enough of a dent to fix the issues as of yet.

With some real, big kid issues in the top two cities, it seems a bit suspect that sunny L.A. would somehow come next on the list. So what gives?

Well, apparently the lack of mass transportation in the city played a big part in deciding the order of the list. Oh, and the fact that if you do have transportation of your own -- or can track down some of the public variety -- you're subjected to long, long waits on the 101. Gridlocked traffic also adds to the stress, according to the list.

That traffic issue seems to be the list's major qualm with the city. Well, that and the higher cost of living in L.A., which makes life tough for the 20 percent of residents under the poverty line. And we'll give them that too -- it is a pretty costly place to be -- but is it really, truly only slightly less stressful than Detroit?

We have a feeling that the folks over in the Motor City, where crime is astronomically high and job opportunities are astronomically low, at least for Detroit natives, would have a tough time validating where that one came from. 

And besides, the City of Angels working on that whole transportation issue. Remember the "Subway to the Sea?" And even if you don't buy into that whole thing, there are major freeway improvements in the works that should relieve a bit of that traffic-induced stress. 

But while we aren't sure that the list is totally fair, we are sure of one thing -- the list's 4th choice was Riverside, mainly because of the commute to L.A. -- and they've definitely got it worse. 

Here are CNN's choices for the 10 most stressed out cities. Oh, and sorry, New Orleans, but you guys made the list too. Perhaps people think "The Big Easy" is just a misnomer.

1. New York City 

2. Detroit 

3. Los Angeles 

4. Riverside 

5. Houston

6. Chicago

7. Miami

8. New Orleans 

9. Atlanta

10. Memphis

Poor Memphis. Come on, CNN. Aren't cities with a serious case of the blues supposed to be at least a little stressed out? We demand a recount, and more sunshine, stat.