How to cope with stress at work

North Americans work some of the longest hours in the world, and many admit that work stress spills over into private lives, leading to stress. Medical research links stress at work to an increased cardiovascular risk. Can you beat the odds?

• In 2008, when British scientists analyzed data from a 12-year study of 10,000 civil servants, they found that men and women under 50 who reported long-term work stress had a 68 per cent increased risk of coronary artery disease.
• The risk was lower among those at retirement age.
• Those reporting the highest levels of work stress had high morning levels of the stress hormone cortisol and a consistently raised heart rate — evidence of increased cardiac instability.
• Dealing with an unfair boss can send your blood pressure soaring. In one study, researchers measured the blood pressure of female health-care assistants over three working days.
• When some of the women worked under a supervisor they perceived as unfair, they showed average increases in systolic blood pressure and in diastolic pressure of more than enough to produce a significant increase in the risk of both heart attacks and strokes.
• Having a boss you consider incompetent raises your risk, too.

• If your manager's behaviour makes your blood boil, it is important to learn ways of handling your frustration.
• Try not to tense up in a difficult situation. Standing straight, with a relaxed posture, will give you more confidence and control. If you do have a confrontation, get away from the scene of the conflict as soon as you can.
• Even if it's just for five minutes, go for a walk and give yourself a chance to breathe, loosen up and clear your mind.
• While you may not be able to affect your levels of cortisol in the mornings, you can make a substantial difference to other lifestyle factors that increase your risk.
• Researchers find that people under stress smoke more, eat fewer fruits and vegetables, and exercise less.
• They are also more likely to have components of metabolic syndrome, all of which helps explain why work stress can increase the risk of heart disease by nearly a third.
• So if your work is piling on the pressure, don't pile on the pounds or engage in other unhealthy coping strategies.
• Pay attention to your diet and stay active. And remember that exercise will help to relieve stress and anxiety.

• Meeting a demanding work deadline can make some people more susceptible to heart attack over the following 24 hours.
• Swedish researchers assessed 1,381 men and women who had survived a heart attack and asked them about their work in the previous year.
• It turned out that eight per cent of the group — almost one in 10 — had faced a high-pressure deadline at work in the 24 hours before their attack, and that such pressure was linked to a staggering six-fold increase in heart-attack risk over the following day.
• This short-term pressure was far more dangerous than an accumulation of less stressful events over the previous year.
• Try to manage tight deadlines by planning ahead. If your workload is unmanageable, talk to your manager or your human resources team — that's what they're there for.