We all know that work can be stressful sometimes, but did you know that a stressful job might be really bad for your heart—especially if you’re a man?
A recent study done in Canada has found that men with stressful jobs are twice as likely to get heart disease.
This is a big deal because heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Nearly 383,000 Americans died from it in 2020 alone.
The study focused on two main types of stress at work. The first kind is when you have too much work and very little control over it.
Imagine you have loads of tasks, tight deadlines, and yet, you have no say in how things should be done—that’s the first kind of stress.
The second kind is when you’re working really hard but feel like you’re not getting enough back, whether that’s pay, praise, or job security.
What the Study Found
The researchers studied about 6,500 people who work in offices and don’t have heart disease to start with. They were about 45 years old on average.
The study lasted 18 years, which is a pretty long time to follow people’s work lives and health.
The findings were eye-opening. Men who felt either type of work stress had a 49% higher risk of heart disease.
And for those who felt both kinds of stress? They had double the risk compared to men who didn’t feel stressed at work.
But what about women? Well, the study didn’t find a clear link between these types of job stress and heart disease in women. So, more research is needed there.
It’s worth mentioning that the study mostly looked at people with white-collar jobs in Quebec, Canada.
So, it might not include everyone, but the researchers think the findings could apply to people in similar jobs in the U.S. and other wealthy countries.
What Can Be Done to Make Work Less Stressful
You might wonder, “What can we do about it?” Well, experts say companies and bosses play a big role in reducing stress for their workers.
For instance, they could give workers more control over their tasks or offer better rewards for hard work. Making sure people can have a good work-life balance is also important.
Some other ideas are providing mental health resources and giving workers a way to talk about their stress and find solutions.
But it’s not just up to the companies; healthcare experts are saying we should all be more aware of how stress affects our heart.
Just like how doctors tell us to exercise more or eat less salt to keep our heart healthy, reducing stress is becoming another important piece of advice.
After all, your heart doesn’t know if the stress is coming from too many burgers or too many deadlines—it’s affected either way.
Wrapping Up
In the end, this new study tells us that stressful work can be as bad for your heart as being overweight. So it’s something that needs to be taken seriously by everyone: companies, healthcare providers, and of course, workers themselves.
As more people become aware of this, the hope is that we’ll start seeing workplaces that not only care about the job getting done but also care about the people doing it.
If you’re a man with a stressful job, this research is a wake-up call to not just shrug off that stress. And while the study may not have conclusive results for women, stress is still bad for overall health and well-being.
So, for everyone’s sake, let’s start taking work stress as seriously as we take other health risks. It’s time to think not just about how to get the job done, but also how to take care of ourselves while doing it.
If you care about health, please read studies about the benefits of low-dose lithium supplements, and what we know about egg intake and heart disease.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about potatoes and high blood pressure, and results showing 6 best breads for people with heart disease.
The research findings can be found in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
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