Stress is America’s number one health problem

Numerous surveys and research housed at The American Institute of Stress (AIS) have shown that workplace stress is far and away the major source of stress for American adults, and that it has escalated progressively over the past few decades. This is true for workers in both the private and government sectors. Increased levels of workplace stress as assessed by the perception of having little control but lots of demands have been demonstrated to be associated with increased rates of heart attack, hypertension, stroke, cancer, diabetes, infertility, depression and more.

Becoming aware of the stressors that affect your job performance and in turn daily life, is the first step in managing stress and becoming a happier and more productive person—at work and at home.  

The earliest signs of workplace stress are: poor concentration, decreased memory, constant fatigue, sleep disturbances and increased frequency of headaches. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is time to take action.

Our bodies were designed to cope with acute stress—such as escaping a tiger, not the chronic stress we face in our daily lives—much of it from workplace or financial stress. Chronic stress is found at the root of deteriorating health and is a proven cause of everything from increased frequency of colds and flu to cancer.

To learn what you can do to get control of your stress, before it causes serious damage to your health, visit The American Institute of Stress’s website.

You may also subscribe to the free, quarterly e-magazine Contentment, and have it delivered to your inbox. Contentment magazine has practical articles and tools to help readers find contentment in their lives by learning simple science-based stress management techniques.
http://www.stress.org/magazines/



For your convenience, GPN has included a direct link to the January issue of Contentment magazine. This issue is of particular interest as it focuses on the topic of workplace stress.


Kellie Marksberry is executive director of the Fort Worth, Texas-based The American Institute of Stress.