Feeling stressed at work might do more than just make you tired—it could also increase your risk of developing an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation (AFib).
A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that work-related stress, caused by job strain and an imbalance between effort and rewards, might raise the chances of experiencing AFib.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of abnormal heart rhythm. It can lead to serious health problems like stroke and heart failure.
The American Heart Association predicts that by 2030, more than 12 million people in the U.S. will have AFib.
Previous studies have linked job strain and an imbalance between effort and reward with a higher risk of coronary heart disease.
However, this study is the first to explore how these work-related stressors specifically affect the risk of AFib. Dr. Xavier Trudel, the study’s senior author and a professor at Laval University in Quebec, Canada, emphasized the importance of recognizing and addressing workplace stress to promote healthier work environments.
The researchers focused on two main stress factors: job strain and effort-reward imbalance. Job strain happens when employees face high demands at work, like heavy workloads and tight deadlines, but have little control over how they do their jobs.
Effort-reward imbalance occurs when employees put in a lot of effort but feel that the rewards they receive, such as pay, recognition, or job security, don’t match their hard work.
The study analyzed medical records from nearly 6,000 white-collar workers in Canada, following them for 18 years. The results showed that:
- Employees who reported high job strain had an 83% higher risk of developing AFib compared to those without this stress.
- Those who felt an imbalance between their efforts and rewards had a 44% greater risk of AFib.
- When both stress factors were present, the risk of AFib increased by 97%.
The study suggests that reducing workplace stress could be an important part of preventing AFib.
Dr. Trudel mentioned that previous research by his team showed that workplace interventions, like slowing down large projects and offering flexible work hours, can effectively reduce stress and even lower blood pressure.
It’s important to note that this study focused on white-collar workers in Canada, so the results might not apply to other types of workers or people in different countries.
However, the findings highlight the importance of managing work-related stress for better heart health.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about top 10 foods for a healthy heart, and how to eat right for heart rhythm disorders.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to eat your way to cleaner arteries, and salt and heart health: does less really mean more?
