How Can Work Stress Affect Your Health?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Workplace stress

What are 3 ways stress affects your physical health?

  • Low energy.
  • Headaches.
  • Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea.
  • Aches, pains, and tense muscles.
  • Chest pain and rapid heartbeat.
  • Insomnia.
  • Frequent colds and infections.
  • Loss of sexual desire and/or ability.

How does work affect physical health?

Working longer hours can

increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, depression and even alcoholism

. There's also evidence to suggest it actually decreases productivity and can result in poorer cognitive performance – quite the opposite to what you're trying to achieve.

When does work affect mental health?

Job-Related Mental Health Issues


Job-related stress may also be the cause of several different mental health issues, including: Anxiety

. Anxiety disorders are quite common. Anxiety affects about 18% of American adults.

How does stress affect the body 10 ways?

But when stress wears on you continuously without letting up, it can overwhelm your ability to cope and can cause all kinds of problems, including:

Muscle tension, which can increase headache and arthritis pain

.

Upset stomach, diarrhea and acid reflux

.

Difficulty sleeping

.

Why does stress affect the body?


cause your blood vessels to constrict and divert more oxygen to your muscles so you'll have more strength to take action

. But this also raises your blood pressure. As a result, frequent or chronic stress will make your heart work too hard for too long.

How does stress affect your brain?

It can

disrupt synapse regulation, resulting in the loss of sociability and the avoidance of interactions with others

. Stress can kill brain cells and even reduce the size of the brain. Chronic stress has a shrinking effect on the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning.

Can too much work cause stress?

There are plenty of other ways working too much can impact your health.

If you're overworked, your cortisol levels (the primary stress hormone) increase which can lead to brain fog, high blood pressure and a host of other health problems

.

Can working too much cause anxiety?

The CDC shares that over the past four years physical overexertion has been the second leading cause of injury and illness which kept employees from being able to go to work. Similarly,

overworking has been linked to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Does employment affect health?


Employment and health are inextricably linked

. Employment and income have a direct impact on life expectancy, quality of life, and health care costs. Relatedly, medical health has a direct impact on employability. Acute and chronic illness can prevent work entirely, cause job loss, and prevent wage gain.

What should I do if my job is affecting my mental health?

  • Know the ways that work can affect your mental health. …
  • Pinpoint exactly what is making your mental health worse. …
  • Change your perspective on your career. …
  • Consider consulting HR or your manager. …
  • Know the careers where mental health issues are common.

When your boss is affecting your mental health?

Other studies show that people with bad bosses are

more susceptible to chronic depression, stress and anxiety

, all of which increase the risk of a lowered immune system. Some research even indicates that it takes people 22 months to restore their stress levels to a healthy range after working for a bad manager.

How do you tell your boss you're struggling?

Talking about your mental health doesn't need to be scary or over-complicated, you can start the conversation by simply saying,

“I need to get something off my chest” or “I need to talk, do you have time to listen?”

Just remember to tell your boss only what is necessary.

Can stress cause physical pain?


Stress can cause pain, tightness or soreness in your muscles, as well as spasms of pain

. It can lead to flare-ups of symptoms of arthritis, fibromyalgia and other conditions because stress lowers your threshold for pain.

How does stress affect the body long term?

Long term: Consistently elevated heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones can

increase your odds of heart attack, stroke, and hypertension

. These can also affect cholesterol levels and cause inflammation in your circulatory system.

How do you know if stress is killing you?

  1. headaches.
  2. muscle aches.
  3. chest pain.

What are 5 emotional signs of stress?

  • Heaviness in your chest, increased heart rate or chest pain.
  • Shoulder, neck or back pain; general body aches and pains.
  • Headaches.
  • Grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Dizziness.
  • Feeling tired, anxious, depressed.

Does stress affect memory?

Stress and Memory


Stress can affect how memories are formed

. When stressed, people have a more difficult time creating short-term memories and turning those short-term memories into long-term memories, meaning that it is more difficult to learn when stressed. Stress can affect the type of memories we form as well.

What happens to your body when you work too much?

Lack of sleep and piling on of undue stress lead to health complications like

high blood pressure, unhealthy eating, and other actions that negatively impact health

. In fact, a study by Stanford and Harvard business schools found that working long hours can increase mortality by nearly 20 percent.

Is working 12 hours a day too much?


Working excessively long days is harmful for your health

. Numerous productivity studies have found that overworking leads to sleep deprivation, depression, impaired memory, drinking problems and health concerns including diabetes and heart disease.

What happens if you work everyday?

However, decades of research supports the 40-hour workweek and shows that working longer can lead to serious negative effects on health, family life, and productivity. Studies show that, over time, working long hours can

increase your risk of depression, heart attack, and heart disease

.

Carlos Perez
Author
Carlos Perez
Carlos Perez is an education expert and teacher with over 20 years of experience working with youth. He holds a degree in education and has taught in both public and private schools, as well as in community-based organizations. Carlos is passionate about empowering young people and helping them reach their full potential through education and mentorship.