Workplace stress linked to asthma
A new study by Heidelberg University in Germany has revealed that a stressful job can increase a person’s risk of developing asthma by up to 40 percent.
The longitudinal study tracked 5,000 women and men aged 40 to 65 over an eight year period. The researchers discovered that among those non-asthma sufferers at the start of the study, there was up to a 40 percent higher incidence of asthma eight years later if they experienced a stressful work environment.
“Our study suggests work stress and the inability to relax after work are associated with an increased risk of asthma,” the report was quoted as saying.
The primary stressors were long working hours, demanding schedules, and an uncomfortable working environment.
Earlier studies had revealed that stress could lead to the release of chemicals by the body that promote allergies and disrupt the way the body halts airway inflammation.
The research team however stressed that the overall risk of a person developing asthma because they are overloaded at work is still very small.
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