Try not to get worked up on the job: Research suggests that
work-related stress can be as harmful as smoking.
In a study published in the British Medical Journal, Harvard
University researcher Yawen Chang, Ph.D., surveyed more than 21,000 women
and found that those with the most demanding jobs, little control over
their work environment, and lack of support from coworkers and
supervisors were more likely to suffer from stress than those more
content with their jobs. They also found that women suffered physical
effects: Symptoms ranged from anxiety to difficulty performing daily
tasks like climbing stairs.
But in a new twist on an old issue, researchers don't suggest
behavioral changes for alleviating on-the-job stress. Instead, they
recommend that employees alter their work conditions—by reducing
workload, increasing control over their work environment and seeking more
social support.
In a related study, Tesfaye Belay, Ph.D., a microbiology researcher
at Atlanta's Morehouse School of Medicine, confirmed that stress can make
you physically sick. In lab studies, Belay mixed bacteria with the stress
hormones epinephrine and nor-epinephrine and found that increasing the
hormones' quantities caused the growth of certain bacteria—some of which
can lead to health problems like pneumonia. In light of his findings,
presented at an American Society for Microbiology meeting, Belay said
that "if [people] take measures to help themselves relax, the risk of
contracting an infection will probably be reduced."
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