Stressed out at work? Many of us are, but did you know that
besides raw nerves, stress can lead to cardiovascular disease?
A recent study in the British Medical Journal highlighted
the importance of being relaxed at, and satisfied with, your
work environment.
To determine the possible link between work stress and risk
of death from cardiovascular disease, approximately 800 employees
at factories in Finland were evaluated for job strains, salaries
and job demands in 1973, and followed for the next 25 years
to record deaths from cardiovascular disease. Participants'
jobs ranged from heavy foundry work and precision engineering
positions to clerical and administrative jobs.
Employees
with high job strain, based on responses to a questionnaire
designed to evaluate job pressures, were more than twice as
likely to die from cardiovascular disease as those with low
job strain. Also, employees who felt they had a lower salary
or fewer career opportunities relative to the amount of effort
they put into their work were approximately 2.5 times more
likely to die from cardiovascular disease. Those with high
job strain had significantly increased blood cholesterol levels
as well.
Cardiovascular disease is the number-one cause of death today.
This study shows that having a low-stress job is one way to
help prevent it. In addition to promoting your cardiovascular
health through not smoking; drinking alcohol only in moderation;
eating a low-fat diet; and exercising, tackling other major
sources of stress in your life may also need to be addressed.
Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about various forms of
stress reduction.
Reference:
Kivimäki M, Leino-Arjas P, et al. Work stress and risk of
cardiovascular mortality: Prospective cohort study of industrial
employees. British Medical Journal 2002:325, pp. 857-861.
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