Work stress and lack of autonomy deteriorate Psyche and life expectancy – Naturopathy naturopathy specialist portal

As the work of Psyche and life expectancy influenced

The degree of autonomy, the stress and the demands of the workplace, as well as the cognitive ability with these requirements deal, have a great influence on our mental health and mortality.

In the case of the current joint investigation by researchers at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, Northern Illinois University was found that various factors in the workplace have a significant impact on our Psyche and our life expectancy. The results of the study were published in an article in the English journal “Journal of Applied Psychology”.

Data of 3.148 people were evaluated

The researchers wanted to find out in their investigation of how work demands have an impact on health. For this, they analyzed data from 3.148 in Wisconsin living persons, which section of the country-wide representative longitudinal survey of Midlife in the United States took part. During the twenty-year study, 211 of the participants died.

What is the impact of job demands on health?

“We studied to learn how to be in control in the workplace (or the degree of autonomy of employees at work) and cognitive abilities (or the ability of the people, and to solve problems) have an impact on the work of the impact of stressors such as time pressure or work load on the mental and physical health and, ultimately, to the death,” explains Professor Erik Gonzalez-Mulé of Indiana University, in a press release.

What time is deteriorated mental health?

If the occurrence of work requirements are higher than the skills, these requirements deal, worsens the mental health of the Person concerned and, accordingly, the probability of a premature death, is increasing the researchers reports.

What is the influence of work stressors?

So-called job stressors (characteristics of work situations, which are likely to trigger stress reactions) are more likely to lead to depression and a premature death. This is especially true for activities in which the work has little control, or in the case of people with lower cognitive abilities.

Work requirements can improve the health also

Work requirements can, however, lead to improved health and a lower probability of dying, if they are accompanied by more control over the work tasks, report the researchers. “We believe that this is due to the fact that work act-control and cognitive abilities as resources that help people with work stressors to deal,” he says Professor Gonzalez-Mulé.

How can Stress at work be reduced?

The opportunity to work according to their own schedules, and prioritize work so that existing work can be achieved goals, helps people better deal with the Stress. Smarter people seem to be generally better able to meet the demands of a stressful job to adapt and find ways to deal with Stress.

Measures to reduce stress

Should superior people working in demanding Occupations, to have more control grant. In Occupations where this is not possible, the aim should be a corresponding reduction in the requirements, report the researchers. If, for example, the people the opportunity to set their own goals, or to decide how you want to get your work done, this could have a positive effect on the health. This also applies to a reduction of working hours.

High cognitive abilities for demanding tasks

Companies should also select individuals with high cognitive abilities for demanding tasks. In this way, the company will benefit from the higher work performance, with smarter employees, and at the same time, a healthier workforce, explain the researchers.

Increased problems in times of COVID-19

COVID-19 could cause more problems with mental health, therefore, it is particularly important that the work aggravated these problems as well, says Professor Gonzalez-Mulé. Therefore, the requirements of the working people reasonable, controlled, and possibly even be reduced. Supervisors should be aware of the cognitive ability of its employees to be aware of and give them sufficient autonomy, adds the research group.

Conclusion of the study

The current investigation comes to the conclusion that the mental health and mortality are closely related with the degree of autonomy in the workplace, the workload, the existing work requirements, as well as with the cognitive ability of the individual Person, with these requirements deal. (as)