PharmEasy Blog

Is Your Workplace Burning You Out?

Just how harmful is burnout syndrome?

It is more dangerous than you may have thought. The European Journal of Preventive Cardiology published a study recently that uncovered a link between burnout syndrome and cardiac problems. The study concluded that burnout can disturb your heart’s natural rhythm!    

Understanding burnout and its connection to your heart –

What exactly is burnout?

According to researchers, burnout is exhaustion caused by a prolonged period of stress at the workplace. Surveys have found that 77% of the workforce has experienced the symptoms of workplace burnout.  This is why the World Health Organisation (WHO) has categorized burnout as a work hazard. The medical community no longer considers it a psychological ailment like anxiety or depression.  

According to WHO, burnout has a few definitive symptoms-

Burnout is directly responsible for heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats). It can also lead to atrial fibrillation.

  Why should you be worried about atrial fibrillation?

This form of non-rhythmic heartbeat makes blood clot in the atria (chambers of the heart). Sometimes, the clot can cause a heart attack cutting off the supply of oxygen to the heart or the clot can come loose and travel to the brain where it may trigger a stroke.  To find out whether work burnout really does trigger cardiac problems, researchers surveyed 11,000 people with varying degrees of workplace stress and social/family support over a period of 25 years. The study found that people with uncontrolled stress levels are at a very high risk of atrial fibrillation.

What can you do?

Since there is a clear indication that stress and burnout can be fatal, you need to take immediate steps to deal with it!

Is workplace stress taking over your life?  

If yes, here are a few ways to cope with it –

Currently, if you are not stressed with your work, should you still be concerned?  

Yes, workplace stress can happen to anyone, anytime. You can take the following preventive measures for workplace stress – In-Blog-034Burnout can be controlled or prevented with these few simple steps that you can inculcate in your daily routine. Do not let it take over your life and put a brake on it!  Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

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