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Work And Health: How Does Your Work Kill You – Earthlydiets

Work And Health

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” this is a saying that has been used by many to ascertain the certainty that a little rest is also important after work. Well, for many it is believed that working hard is beneficially relative to constant growth in life especially financially but have you taken a little time to wonder what work does to your health. Work and health are two variables people never put into consideration as being relative to each other especially in underdeveloped countries of the world, in the pursuit of financial freedom and independence a lot has happened to your body of which you are not aware. In this post, we will understand how work affects your health, how to maintain good health while working and how to prevent health issues that may be caused by work.

We know health affects work productivity, but do we understand how work affects health?

Work And Health

From 2000 centuries ago till the modern society today, it has been a belief that working is the only way to sustain your needs and by working we mean being able to engage in an activity that provides one with a source of income. This makes WORK the only way to maintain your livelihood while on earth as it is known that manna never falls from heaven these days…Work is critical to the majority of us on many levels. Finishing a work we appreciate and finding fulfillment can give a significant concentration to our lives, as well as getting a pay. Our way of life depends on the cash we make, while business frequently adds to our mental self-view and confidence.

A considerable lot of our life can influence our wellbeing. What food we eat, how frequently we exercise and how much rest we get are everything we focus on while attempting to carry on with a solid way of life. Tragically, one part of our regular routines that can influence our physical and psychological well-being more than we naturally suspect is usually not paid attention. Work and health is one thing that is usually not given enough concentration due to the fact that people often concentrate most of their time on the best diet that would keep them healthy while the major cause of health issues lies within which is most times not attended to.

We burn through the vast majority of our waking hours at one spot more than some other – work. Many investigations have connected our workplace to our general degree of health and the outcomes are exceptionally telling. Research has demonstrated that there are many variables displayed to influence our health well-being, it is believed that our work and health are responsible for 25% of our well-being both in our mental and physical health.

What are the factors to consider to know if your work and health are complementing each other

 Although no research can guarantee the exact hours needed to work for you to maintain perfect health, there are some factors to consider for one to be considered as “overworking his health” like environmental factors, working relationships, and work dieting.

  • Environmental factors: 

A good job is one in which you get good pay and enjoy doing but one factor for you to consider to be assured that your work and health are complementing each other is your working environment. A good working environment is a key to good health because the atmosphere in which you work is as good as a good diet. For example, if you work as a construction officer and you are exposed to chemical fumes, dust, and other harmful substances while working this is a sign that you should take note of. A good working environment should consist of a protected environment from dangerous substances that could be harmful to your health and being exposed to such substances for a long while makes this bad for you. Environmental elements significantly affect health. Inconducive air quality can influence the respiratory framework. An ergonomically imperfect workstation can influence the outer muscle framework of the body.

  • Working relationship

Usually, this is one factor that is very much underrated when it comes to work and health. Apart from physical health, your mental health is a vital necessity for your survival as a human being. Human beings are wired to be social animals and by such need relationships and interaction to survive, the workplace isn’t all about working but also interaction about between the employer and employees. While there is no standard that states you need to cherish your work partners, having a strong relationship with them is by and large viewed as better for your health. The individuals who disdain who they work with will generally have higher rates of physical and psychological health issues.

These interactions also consist of motivation and mental coordination between workers and their managers. Some research has shown that people who have a good working relationship at work with their employers and colleagues tend to be of sound mental health and have better sleep motivation. Negative effects of work are especially intense for representatives in high-strain occupations with little coordination over their workdays and low working communication. An investigation of 21,000 medical caretakers in low-control occupations found that over four years their health declined more than would be normal if they were smokers.

In the book, Healthy Work, distributed in 1990, Robert Karasek and Tores Theorell found that 10% of individuals employed in high-control occupations displayed side effects of sadness. That figure swelled to 57 percent for workers in low-control occupations. Most suffered from cardiovascular side effects, for example, chest pain. Add a terrible manager or employer to the low-control mix, and the circumstance turns out to be considerably more harmful. Workers who got low social encouragement while working high-strain jobs were extensively bound to experience the ill effects of depression than were the people who had support at work, as indicated by Karasek and Theorell’s review.

Read Also: Depression in young people

  • Physical activity

Physical activity plays a crucial role in your work and health sustainability. It is believed that people who have an immobile working activity have a higher risk of health issues and this is without doubt true…For the people who work in an office setting, the absence of active work can likewise prompt numerous health issues. The people who have stationary positions experience a more prominent frequency of diabetes, muscle-related issues, and weariness. The people who gaze at a PC all day likewise report higher rates of issues with their eyes.

Signs to consider to know your Work is affecting your health.

Your work and health complement each other and as such, they both have a way of affecting each other. Various signs can help you know if your work is deeply affecting your health.

  • Working overtime consistently

It’s intriguing to get a new line of work these days that permit you to leave on time, consistently. The majority of us will end up burning the midnight oil or get in ahead of schedule to tick everything off our plan for the day. As a matter of fact, as indicated by a report by OnePulse, 66% of UK-based workers currently work an additional day (8.73 hours) every week, on top of their contracted hours. Various examinations have featured the health risk and dangers of continually working past their legally binding hours (or having extremely long work hours). Working longer hours can expand your risk of heart or coronary illness, stroke, gloom, and even liquor abuse. There’s likewise proof to recommend it diminishes brain efficiency and can bring about less mental execution – a remarkable inverse to what you’re attempting to accomplish. Most workplaces feel that working overtime is a sign of hard work but this is wrong. It is important to note that one major sign that your work is affecting your health is “working overtime”. Consistently doing this can affect your health.

  • Prolonged sitting hours

Delayed sitting has been connected to a fundamentally higher risk of coronary illness, diabetes, stoutness, malignant growth, and pain, as well as muscle and joint issues. Sitting for long makes the pelvis shift forward. This can also make the spine broaden and extend. The shoulders and the muscles that power them can also suffer. Accordingly, this could cause exhaustion, eye strain, neck/shoulder pressure, and migraines. If your work makes you sit for long without any chance of movement you are likely to suffer from health issues and pain and this is a sign that your work isn’t good for your health or that your work and health ain’t complementing each other.

  • Staying up late because of work

Besides the fact that sleep influences your work and health, your work can likewise enormously affect your rest. Most grown-ups require 7-8 hours of sleep (even though it will shift from one individual to another), yet elevated degrees of stress can obstruct your rest schedule and ruin your psychological and mental health.

Not getting sufficient rest can build your risk of stoutness, coronary illness, diseases, and even malignant growth. Likewise, it’s been found that an absence of closed eyes can make you more imprudent, more neglectful, and more clumsy – none of which are helpful in the work environment.

Further developing our rest is by all accounts a top health worry among people, as examination recommends that grown-ups rank among the most terrible sleepers while contrasting 13 nations across Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia. Getting more rest is currently the second most normal health desire (after shedding weight/bringing down BMI), however as we probably are aware, various components could be adding to your low sleep and rest.

How can you maintain good health while you work?

Maintaining good health even while you work is easier said than done but there are some basic tips that can be useful in keeping yourself healthy both physically and mentally.

  • Walk around every hour while at work
  • Don’t sit too long on the computer to avoid bad eye sight
  • Create a healthy dieting schedule that contains fruits.
  • Create a good relationship with your colleagues to help maintain stable mental health.
  • Avoid taking work home,
  • Go for a regular medical check-up to ensure the good state of your physical health.
  • keep water on your working desk to avoid dehydration.
  • Create a good sleeping routine after work or in between breaks.
  • Exercise daily before work.
  • Use protective gadgets during working hours, especially for those who work in construction or chemical-related industries.
  • Take leisure vacations and do something different in your spare time for mental health.
  • Take a supplement that would help provide the necessary vitamins your body needs especially as a result of being at work and not having enough time to consume necessary vitamins for your body.

Generally, it is important to master your body and acknowledge the things your body likes and dislikes, try to avoid things that would irritate your body. This will help in keeping your body healthy.

Conclusion

Finding a healthy work climate can in some cases be not exactly simple or easy, however, it’s critical to perceive the adverse consequences a terrible workplace can have on your health. Assuming you are encountering any physical or psychological health conditions that you feel are connected with your ongoing work, you ought to painstakingly consider picking another work that is more reasonable for you. Work and health are very connected. Good health is also very much necessary to control good work and vice versa. Keep your health as the main goal because health as they say is wealth.

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