Workplace Stress Can Contribute to Cardiac Trouble

With healthcare professionals observing World Heart Day in late September, one issue that has been in the spotlight is workplace stress and how to reduce it.

According to the World Heart Federation, 32 percent of employees feel that their workplace hinders their ability to lead a healthy lifestyle - although a growing number of companies have been offering workplace wellness initiatives to help out in this area.

"As many of us spend over half of our waking hours at work, the workplace is the ideal setting to encourage behavior changes to minimize a person's risk of cardiovascular disease," said Dr. Kathryn Taubert, senior science officer of the World Heart Federation.

Of course, not all employers are conscientious about the well-being of their workers. This is why it's important for people to find their own stress-reducing activities in other aspects of their life. For example, activities like cycling, walking and even yoga have been found to deliver significant cardiovascular benefits.

The World Heart Federation added that about 17 million people die worldwide each year from cardiovascular problems, many of which are preventable. With these things in mind, workers may find it wise to be take advantage of any preventive medicine and wellness features in their health insurance policies.