Researchers in Germany said a stressful work environment coupled with inadequate sleep may result in a higher risk of cardiovascular death in hypertensive people.
According to the findings of a new study published in the ‘European Journal of Preventive Medicine,’ in comparison with their peers who slept well and did not experience work-related stress, hypertensive employees in stress and insomnia were three times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease.
Highlighting the overall impact of this on health, Prof. Karl-Heinz Ladwig of the German Research Centre for Environmental Health and the Medical Faculty, Technical University of Munich, said: “The risk is not having one tough day and no sleep; it is suffering from a stressful job and poor sleep over many years, which fade energy re- sources and may lead to an early grave.”
Ladwig said that it would be a good idea for employers to offer stress management and sleep treatment in the workplace, while doctors should discuss sleep and job stress with people who have hypertension and may have a higher risk of issues with their cardiovascular health. Insomniais asleep disorder thatischaracterizedbydifficultyfalling and/orstaying asleep.
People with insomnia have difficulty falling asleep, wake up often during the night and have trouble going back to sleep.
Cardiovascular disease generally refers to conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as those that affect the muscles of the heart, valves or rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease.
The research team showed thatalthough, thosewith, either job-related stress or lack of sleep havecardiovascularrisks, when the two conditions exist in one person, then the risk of death for those persons is higher. The team analysed data from nearly 2,000 employees, aged between 25 to 65 years.
These workers had high blood pressure, but, at the time of the study, they did not have cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Alternatively, those with either job-related stress or insomnia did have an increased risk of cardiovascular death; the risk was higher when people had both of these factors present in their everyday lives.
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