Chronic Job Stress Is a Risk Factor for Heart Disease

Chronic Job Stress Is a Risk Factor for Heart Disease Stress Management Job Stress Print Can a Stressful Job Cause Heart Disease? By Elizabeth Scott, MS twitter Elizabeth Scott, MS, is a wellness coach specializing in stress management and quality of life, and the author of 8 Keys to Stress Management. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Scott, MS Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Yasmine S. Ali, MD, MSCI on November 30, 2019 Yasmine S. Ali, MD, MSCI,  is a board-certified preventive cardiologist and lipidologist. Dr. Ali is also an award-winning writer. Learn about our Medical Review Board Yasmine S. Ali, MD, MSCI on November 30, 2019 Compassionate Eye Foundation/Jamie Grill/Digital Vision More in Stress Management Job Stress Workplace Bullying Effects on Health Management Techniques Situational Stress Household Stress Relationship Stress Job stress is widely experienced, and so pervasive that it’s been found to affect people from all industries, levels and income levels. And because so much of our lives are spent at work, job stress can spill over and create issues in other areas of life as well. Anxiety  at work can eventually cause you to experience burnout or depression, especially if you dont know how to protect yourself against the potential effects of stress. Without significant changes, prolonged stress can even cause serious physical problems like heart disease.   Job Stress and Chronic Stress There are several types of stress that people experience, and they each affect people differently. There’s eustress, the kind of feeling you get on a rollercoaster or going down a ski slope; its exciting and invigorating.  There is also acute stress, which comes and goes quickly. These types of stress aren’t especially harmful in manageable doses, though too much of either can lead to a greater risk of experiencing chronic stress. This type of stress often comes from conflicted relationships, over-packed schedules, and demanding jobs.   Chronic stress comes from situations where your stress response is triggered again and again without giving you a chance to relax and recuperate. Effects of Job Stress When job stress turns chronic, it can really threaten our physical and emotional health in many ways. Here is just some of the research that shows how: One study that assessed over 11,000 people found that employees reporting high psychological and physical job demands and low job control had elevated risks of emotional exhaustion,    psychosomatic and physical health complaints of all kinds and job dissatisfaction.According to a study by the British Medical Journal, chronic stress has been linked to the development of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as other conditions. This is because they found a link between chronic job stress and metabolic syndrome, which is a group of factors that increase the risk of diseases like  high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and obesity.  They found that greater levels of job stress increased people’s chances of developing metabolic syndrome.Workers who have higher levels of job stress experience a greater incidence of the common cold, and call in sick more often.There has also been a documented link between high job stress and increased risk of mental health issues, such as depress ion or anxiety disorders.   Sources of Job Stress Certain sources of job stress can greatly contribute to chronic job stress and burnout: Job strain, less independence, low social support, high psychological demands, effort-reward imbalance, and high job insecurity predicted common mental disorders in a review of several different job stress studies.These job stress factors seemed to affect men and women of every age equally.   Managing Job Stress Because job stress is a leading cause of chronic stress, managing factors  we experience on the job can cut out significant levels of anxiety and lead to greater wellness and happiness. It’s important to take steps to take care of oneself and one’s body. The following strategies can help you stay healthy and potentially reverse many of the negative effects of stress in a surprisingly short amount of time: Reduce Daily Stressors: You can reduce stress in your life by making lifestyle changes like becoming more organized, better managing time  and making other changes at work. Getting enough sleep, eating nutritious foods and maintaining a positive outlook are also important in overall health.  Learn Stress-Reducing Practices: Learning and practicing a stress management technique or two can also help your health by activating your body’s relaxation response.  You can read about ten stress-relieving practices; one or two of these could become an important part of your life and a valuable tool to stay healthy.Find Ways to Reduce Stress at Work and Enjoy Your Job More: Part of job stress relief involves making changes at work that can increase satisfaction and cut down on factors that cause stress and burnout. You can learn more about how to do this by reading about finding greater satisfaction at your current job, creating a fun job experience, and assessing and eliminating burnout-rela ted stressors.