Research uncovers strong link between work-related stress and heart problems, from Harvard Women's Health Watch
February is a great month for women to turn their thoughts to hearts—not just the chocolate kind, but the beating, pumping kind that causes health problems for so many women. On-the-job stress may be one key cause of heart disease in women, reports the February issue of Harvard Women's Health Watch. Using data from the Women's Health Study, Harvard researchers showed that women with highly stressful jobs are 40% more likely to develop heart disease than their less-stressed colleagues.
The body is programmed to react to life-threatening stress with a “fight-or-flight” response: the brain triggers chemicals and hormones that speed the heart rate, quicken breathing, and boost the amount of energy supplied to muscles. Unfortunately, the body does a poor job of discriminating between grave, imminent dangers and ongoing sources of stress, such as financial difficulties, job strain, and even worries about potential problems. When the fight-or-flight response is chronically “on,” the body suffers.
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