A new study found a link between extreme signs of burnout and a typeirregular heart rhythm. Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib or AF, is the most common type of irregular heartbeat and affects many people worldwide. New research has found a link between severe burnout, also known as complete exhaustion, and the risk of developing atrial fibrillation.
Heart health at risk from signs of burnout?
So working and stressing until you are exhausted could not only hurt your psyche but also your heart. Feeling irritable and depressed all the time is not good for your mental well-being. And if such burnout symptoms occur at work, it is not good for your career either. A new study suggests that such a condition can also cause heart damage, leading to a potentially fatal heart rhythm.
In addition to an irregular heartbeat, signs of burnout can cause symptoms such as chest pain, heart palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath and fatigue. AF can also increase the risk of stroke, even if there are no symptoms. The new study was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. The researchers found a connection between severe burnout and the risk of developing atrial fibrillation.
This study suggests that “exhaustion and poorCoping along with depressioncan lead to atrial fibrillation,” said Dr. David Friedman, chief of heart failure at Northwell Health in Long Island, New York. The World Health Organization associates burnout with chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. This can manifest as exhaustion, a cynical attitude towards work, or being less effective at work.
Learning to deal with stress
Although the new study found a small effect of burnout on the risk of developing atrial fibrillation, chronic stress can affect the body in other ways. “People who are at risk of feeling chronically demoralized and depressed and have little ability to effect positive change may be at higher risk of cardiovascular disease,” Friedman said.
Even if the risk is low, it can still be a good thing to reduce or manage stress. “People need to find ways to reduce stress when they feel signs of burnout, whether through exercise, other interests or, of course, changing their environment.”
Researchers also point out that mental health can have a negative impact on your physical health, but there can also be a downside. “Positive psychological interventions such as increasing gratitude and forgiveness lead to improvements in inflammation and overall cardiovascular health. “
