WE all know what getting stressed at work feels like physically.
Your palms get sweaty, your thoughts begin to race, and perhaps you’re forced to make a last-minute dash to the toilet before a big meeting.
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But what many of us aren’t aware of is how stress can mess with our insides, sometimes leaving our bodies in a bit of a mess long-term.
Yep, those long hours and thankless tasks might be doing more than just giving you a headache.
A new study has revealed stress can damage your heart and increase your risk of heart disease.
When you look at how many Brits experience work-related stress, this is a big issue.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, stress is now one of the most common causes of long-term sick leave at work.
And, along with work-related anxiety, it accounted for more than 17 million working days lost in the UK in 2021/22, or 51 per cent of all cases of work-related illnesses in the UK in the same year.
Here are some of the ways stress is wreaking havoc with your body:
1. The heart
Getting stressed out at work can double your risk of developing a potentially deadly irregular heartbeat.
Scientists from Laval University in Quebec, Canada, found that people dealing with high job strain and not getting much enjoyment out of their work were more likely to develop atrial fibrillation—commonly known as AF or AFib.
Together, these factors were associated with a 97 per cent higher risk of developing AFib compared to workers not exposed to stress.
The findings, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, also showed that high job strain alone had an 83 per cent higher risk of AFib, while imbalance in effort and reward had a 44 per cent higher risk.
AFib is the most common type of arrhythmia, where your heart rhythm goes a bit haywire.
And it’s no small matter—AFib can lead to strokes, heart failure, and other serious heart issues.
In the UK alone, around 1.4million people are estimated to have AF, and while it can strike at any age, it’s more common in older adults—especially men.
It’s not the first time stress has been related to heart problems, either.
A study in 2023, published in the journal Circulation, found that high stress work can double the chances of men developing heart disease, which can cause heart attacks and other complications.
The researchers had looked at job strain – defined as work where demands are high but control is low – and effort-reward balance.
Either one alone increased the risk of coronary heart disease by 49 per cent, but together, this increased to 103 per cent.
2. The brain
It feels rather obvious that getting stressed out in any setting might affect the brain.
In fact, one British study found that high-stress jobs make young workers twice as likely to suffer from major depression.
Around one in six Brits suffers depression, with women about twice as likely to have mental health problem.
It is the most common mental health issue in older people, with around 22 per cent of men and 28 per cent of women aged 65 or over affected.
Scientists from King’s College London found a marked increase in cases of major depressive disorder among people in highly demanding jobs, with 14 per cent of women affected and 10 per cent of men.
Of these, 45 per cent were directly attributed to stress in the workplace.
The most high-pressured jobs were not necessarily held by white-collar workers in city firms, the researchers found.
Head chefs in large restaurants were among the most highly stressed, probably because they had to cope with constant inflexible deadlines and very public failure for any mistakes they made.
Most stressful jobs: Head chefs in large restaurants, schoolteachers, slaughterers, construction worker, top managerial positions
Least stressful jobs: Postmen, librarians, hairdressers, legal/accounts administrator, speech therapists
3. Fertility
Work-related stress doesn’t just mess with your mood, it could also affect your ability to have children.
There have been many studies over the years looking at whether stress can interfere with fertility, with mixed findings.
One 2014 study published in the journal Human Reproduction found that women who reported feeling “very stressed” had a 29 per cent lower chance of becoming pregnant compared to those who were less stressed.
The scientists from Ohio University highlighted that stress disrupts ovulation in women and affects sperm quality in men, potentially making it more difficult for couples to conceive.
The hormones released during stress, such as cortisol, can interfere with the reproductive system, throwing things off balance.
A 2017 review of research that looked at about 75 studies concluded the relationship between stress and infertility “remains elusive”.
Author Joann Paley Galst, a psychologist in New York, said the most “prudent conclusion” would seem that stress can disrupt fertility, but rarely permanently prevent conception.
“Indeed, women have conceived during wars and famine,” she wrote.
4. Immunity
Ever noticed how a stressful week at work seems to coincide with a runny nose or a nasty cold?
Well, as it turns out stress might be making you more susceptible to illness.
A study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that chronic stress can undermine our immune defences.
This is because when you’re stressed out, your body releases cortisol – which, in small doses can actually help manage stress.
But when stress becomes a long-term issue, these elevated cortisol levels can suppress the immune system’s effectiveness.
This means your body’s ability to fend off infections is compromised, making you more prone to catching colds, flu, or even more serious illnesses.
The research, published in 2006, revealed this effect is linked to stress-induced inflammation.
Chronic stress can lead to a state of ongoing inflammation, which not only weakens your immune system but also disrupts its normal function.
This can lead to a range of health problems, from frequent bouts of illnesses to slower recovery times.
If you’re struggling with stress, you can contact contact Samaritans. Call 116 123 or email: [email protected] if you need someone to talk to.
The simple way to slash your stress levels and make you feel happier backed by science
JUST one chat a day with a mate is enough to slash your stress levels, scientists say.
Even texting or an online messaging exchange can make you feel happier, a study suggests.
A need for social connection is hard-wired into us so conversations release feel-good hormones.
However, polls suggest almost half of us dedicate only an hour to loved ones on one day a week — or no time at all.
The US study found people are less likely to feel stressed at the end of the day if they have had a natter — even if it is just joking around.
Its author, Professor Jeffrey Hall, said: “It matters who you talk to — talking with people you like and are close to improves wellbeing more than with people you don’t know or don’t like.”
He set up experiments with 907 subjects, who were told to try different socialising tasks.
Each was asked to have a conversation with a friend at some time during the day — or not — then report back in the evening. This was repeated in three phases with different people over two years.
Chats included deep conversations, catching up or light-hearted banter.
The study subjects who interacted were 60 per cent more likely to say that their stress levels had reduced, compared to those who had not.
More time spent blowing off steam was linked to a stronger stress-busting effect, but just one talk per day was enough to have an impact.
The effect was stronger after face-to-face conversations, but phone calls and online interactions also boosted people’s mood.
