New research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association has shown that stress related to your job may increase your risk of developing an irregular heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation.
The prospective cohort study included nearly 6,000 white-collar workers who were followed for an average of 18 years. The study assessed the participants’ effort-reward imbalance at work as well as their job strain, which was defined as high psychological demands combined with low decision-making freedom. During the study, the incidence of atrial fibrillation among the participants was tracked. Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of abnormal heart rhythm and can increase the risk of strokes, heart failure, and other cardiovascular disorders. The goal of the study was to see how psychological stressors at work impact the incidence of atrial fibrillation.
The results of the study showed that both job strain and an effort-reward imbalance at work can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation. People who experienced high job strain had an 83% higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation compared to those who did not report high job strain, and those who experienced high effort-reward imbalance had a 44% higher risk compared to those who did not. Participants who had both high job strain and high effort-reward imbalance had nearly double the risk of developing atrial fibrillation compared to participants who reported neither.
The authors of the study noted that the results of this study are important for doctors and individuals to understand, and reducing work stress has potential to benefit both employees and employers. To address stress at work and improve the health of employees, workplace interventions such as implementing more flexible work hours and allowing more time for major projects may be effective.
Sources: Journal of the American Heart Association, Science Daily