If you're like a lot of American workers today, you experience a significant amount of stress on the job. Longer hours and more work spread around fewer workers due to corporate downsizing, company mergers bringing in new supervisors and sometimes forcing relocation all combine to create an environment that breeds stress. All that stress doesn't just make you unhappy at work. It can affect your health.
Doctors say stressed-out people have higher blood pressure, even when they're away from work.
People who are under a lot of stress are at a higher risk for death from any cause than those who are more relaxed. Some danger signs include difficulty getting to sleep or difficulty waking up in the morning, constant fatigue, forgetfulness, aches and pains for no apparent reason, poor appetite, withdrawal, loss of interest in activities, irritability or excessive anger. Everyone has bad days in which they feel many of these symptoms, but if you've noticed three or more of them, and you've experienced them for months, you may need to do something about your stress levels. If you do notice these signs in yourself or a loved one, check with your doctor to rule out depression or another medical condition. If the cause does appear to be stress, experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center say you should try to make time for yourself away from work to wind down.