Assess your stress
Depression, sickness absence and in some cases alcoholism and chronic ill health* – the list of negative side effects of poor mental health has never been a pretty one, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report*.
But according to recent research, the picture is much worse – stress at work could even be a killer.
A groundbreaking study by University College London (UCL) revealed the biological effects of stress on the heart, brain and hormone secretion, and warned that employees suffering from chronic stress have a 68 per cent higher risk of becoming a victim of Britain’s biggest killer – heart disease**.
According to the research, anxiety damages the way the heart deals with tense situations and those who reported stress also had poor ‘vagal tone’ – impulses that regulate heartbeat.
Stressed employees were also found to have higher than average levels of the stress hormone ‘cortisol’ when they woke in the morning.
Under-pressure staff appeared less likely to eat sufficient amounts of fruit and vegetables, and were also less likely to exercise, leading UCL researchers to conclude lifestyle was a key factor in the development of heart disease.
Figures estimate the cost of mental health problems to the UK economy is £5 billion per year and up to 60 per cent of absences from work relate to stress***.
Stress has a variety of causes and may be related to personal issues, ill health or working conditions. But it is now becoming clear that when a sufferer seeks treatment for the problem, it may not only improve their mental health, but could also have a marked beneficial effect on their overall health.
The research by UCL prompted a reminder from the British Heart Foundation that stress at work is often associated with unhealthy behaviour such as smoking, poor diet and a lack of exercise – all of which can have a detrimental effect on a healthy heart.
Reference:
* ‘Depression, chronic diseases, and decrements in health’ – World Health Organisation survey. Published 8 September 2007.
** University College London study, published January 2008 -
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=85403&in_page_id=34 & http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7203088.stm
*** ‘Work-related stress: a guide’ – The Confederation of British Industry.
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