Burnout Can Hurt Your Heart, Literally

We all know that burnout can suck the energy out of you, make you irritable, is tough on your mental well-being, and can even get in the way of your career, but it turns out that extreme burnout may hurt your heart as well, literally. A recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that increased instances of burnout can lead to a potentially deadly irregular heart rhythm known as Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, which can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. AFib currently affects around 2.7 million Americans today.

According to a 2018 Gallup study of nearly 7,500 full-time employees, “23% of employees reported feeling burned out at work very often or always, while an additional 44% reported feeling burned out sometimes.” Furthermore, the issue of chronic burnout does not seem to be abating in any way as the millennial generation has been dubbed “The Burnout Generation” and the sources of burnout are expanding past work to include stress over job hunting, having to navigate the gig economy, student loan debt, and general social stressors.

The study charted the signs of vital exhaustion, anger, antidepressant use, and poor social support of 11,445 people over the course of almost 25 years. The results showed that those who reported the highest levels of vital exhaustion had a higher risk of developing AFib compared to those who reported a low level of vital exhaustion or none what so ever. 20.7% of the most exhausted participants developed AFib compared to only 18.2% of the least exhausted participants.

Clinicians differ on whether or not the results of the study are clinically meaningful, but as the number of people in the US that report feeling burned out is on the rise, the effects of burnout on a person’s health continue to be a source of medical concern. Burnout contributes to approximately $125 billion to $190 billion in health-care spending each year and has been attributed (in addition to a heightened risk of developing AFib) to type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, high cholesterol and even death in people under the age of 45. Similarly, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), serious mental illness costs America $193.2 billion in lost earnings per year.

American businesses are beginning to take note as well. An estimated 30% of American employees experience mental health problems each year, with a national lose of 80 million cumulative workdays per year due to anxiety and depression. Furthermore, mental illness and subsequent substance abuse costs American businesses an estimated $225.8 billion yearly.

Undoubtably there is need for further study, but in the meantime both businesses and individuals can take steps to address and reduce the risk of burnout before it becomes a chronic problem. Burnout in the workplace can be tied to four key factors;

• a combination of job strain and low control over decision-making,
• an imbalance of effort versus reward,
• lack of support from colleagues and/or employers,
• and feelings of job insecurity.

If business begin addressing these four factors worker satisfaction goes up as burnout goes down.

For individuals, there are a variety of simple ways to address burnout on a daily basis including, among others;

• increasing cardiovascular exercise,
• practicing mindfulness techniques including meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises,
• practicing self-care, positive self talk, and self-compassion,
• talking to someone you trust about your anxieties and stress (whether that be a therapist or a close friend or family member),
• and simply taking a few moments each day for yourself.