Advertisement

6 ways your job may be hurting your health

Find out how working too much can make you sick—and what you can do about it.

Updated on August 29, 2022

woman rubbing neck
1 / 9

When you’re unhappy at work, it doesn’t just influence your job performance. It can seep out into the rest of your life, and even damage your mental and physical health. In a 2019 survey from Mental Health America, two-thirds of respondents said problems at the workplace negatively affected their sleep. Another half reported they took up unhealthy behaviors to deal withShow More

stressed construction worker
2 / 9
Stress

While some on-the-job stress can help push you to do your best, too much can make you sick. Research shows that several factors contribute to work stress, including: 

  • Low pay
  • Working long hours
  • Working late-night shifts
  • A lack of advancement opportunities
  • A lack of control over
  • Show More
sad teacher
3 / 9
Anxiety and Depression

Long hours can add up to more than everyday stress. A 2019 study in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health of more than 20,000 British workers showed that depression and anxiety shot up the more they worked. The researchers found that women working more than 55 hours per week were two-Show More

doctor and patient talking
4 / 9
Heart Attack and Stroke

It’s difficult to link work stress directly with heart disease because so many other factors contribute to the condition, including genes, diet, exercise, and stress unrelated to the workplace. But in a 2018 meta-analysis of studies related to work stress and cardiovascular conditions in the Show More

woman eating granola bar at desk
5 / 9
Skipped Meals

It's all too common: You’re running late and skip breakfast, or you’re chained to your desk and can’t take time for lunch. Missing either meal can lower the overall quality of your diet, according to a 2020 study in the journal Public Health Nutrition. It may also make it easier to fill up onShow More

man reading in bed at night
6 / 9
Lack of Sleep

If you’re on the go all day, you may find it difficult to slow down at night. After the pandemic began, many people’s sleep worsened due to factors like isolation, financial concerns, and other stress related to COVID-19. A 2020 study in the British Medical Journal theorized that these threeShow More

woman on phone talking while husband works on laptop
7 / 9
Strained Relationships

It's not just you whose well-being is affected when you're always on the clock—your friends and loved ones may feel it, too. Studies on workaholics have found that people who work too much report more estrangement from their families, less effective communication with their loved ones, and rockierShow More

3 women at the beach
8 / 9
Potential Solution #1: Use That Vacation Time

The average American employee tends to use about half of their earned paid vacation time, according to a 2018 poll by the U.S. Travel Association. And the pandemic made things even worse for some. According to a survey from tax exchange company IPX1031, about 63 percent of people put off orShow More

man working remotely on computer
9 / 9
Potential Solution #2: Embrace Remote Work

Much of the workforce was forced out of the office once the pandemic began. Though juggling work and family responsibilities—like kids’ virtual learning—may have been stressful, many people found that working remotely, at least part-time, was beneficial for their well-being.

For example, a 2021Show More

Slideshow sources open slideshow sources

American Psychological Association. The American workforce faces compounding pressure. Page accessed on August 3, 2022.
Mental Health America. Mind the Workplace 2019. Accessed August 19, 2022.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NIOSH: Stress…At Work. Last reviewed June 6, 2014.
Weston G, Zilanawala A,  et al. Long work hours, weekend working and depressive symptoms in men and women: findings from a UK population-based study. Journal of Epidemiological & Community Health. 2019;73:465-474.
Jaskanwal S, et al. Association Between Work‐Related Stress and Coronary Heart Disease: A Review of Prospective Studies Through the Job Strain, Effort‐Reward Balance, and Organizational Justice Models. Journal of the American Heart Association. April 27, 2018. 
Shimura A, et al. Remote Work Decreases Psychological and Physical Stress Responses, but Full-Remote Work Increases Presenteeism. Frontiers in Psychology. 2021;12.      
Campbell and Gretchen Gavett. What Covid-19 Has Done to Our Well-Being, in 12 Charts. Harvard Business Review. February 10, 2021.
Korn Ferry. Workplace Stress Continues to Mount. Page accessed August 3, 2022.
Partinen M, Holzinger B, et al. Sleep and daytime problems during the COVID-19 pandemic and effects of coronavirus infection, confinement and financial suffering: a multinational survey using a harmonised questionnaire. British Medical Journal Open. 2021;11.
Tork. Take Back the Lunch Break Survey Findings. 2018.
Zeballos E, Todd JE. The effects of skipping a meal on daily energy intake and diet quality. Public Health Nutr. 2020 Dec;23(18):3346-3355.
Philip P, Taillard J, Micoulaud-Franchi JA. Sleep Restriction, Sleep Hygiene, and Driving Safety: The Importance of Situational Sleepiness. Sleep Med Clin. 2019 Dec;14(4):407-412.
Han WJ, Miller DP. Parental Work Schedules and Adolescent Depression. Health Sociol Rev. 2009 Jun 1;18(1):36-49.
U.S. Travel Association. Paid Time Off Trends in the U.S. 2019.
Gump BB, Matthews KA. Are vacations good for your health? The 9-year mortality experience after the multiple risk factor intervention trial. Psychosom Med. 2000 Sep-Oct;62(5):608-12. 
IPX1031. How Americans Plan to Vacation During Covid-19. July 2020.
ScienceDaily. Medical proof a vacation is good for your heart. June 20, 2019.
Hruska B, Pressman SD, et al. Vacation frequency is associated with metabolic syndrome and symptoms. Psychology & Health. Published online: 17 Jun 2019.

More On

Understanding grief and loss

video

Understanding grief and loss
It is important to trust in the process of grieving, and know you can still live life after a valuable loss.
Shape your thoughts to shape the life you want

article

Shape your thoughts to shape the life you want
Learn how setting a positive personal intention can have tremendous benefits to your health and wellness.
7 ways stress can harm your body

slideshow

7 ways stress can harm your body
Stress can harm your mental well-being and physical health. But these simple tips can help settle your nerves.
5 most common stress questions answered - PART 1

video

5 most common stress questions answered - PART 1
Three experts talk about ways to reduce stress in order to change your life. Watch this video to learn ways to change your stress level.
How to calm your brain and get a great night's sleep before an important event

video

How to calm your brain and get a great night's sleep before an important event
Discover effective strategies for calming your brain and achieving a restful night's sleep