The Connection Between Work-Life Balance and Aging

Stress is a natural part of life, but prolonged exposure to stressful environments and events may even accelerate the aging process. The main stress hormone — cortisol — mainly does this by decreasing the amount of protective casing around your DNA. According to a 2021 Gallup poll, U.S. employees are among the most stressed in the world.

Workplace stressors may include many things, but most notably:

• Burnout;
• Culture rifts;
• Job insecurity;
• Job-specific demands;
• Long shifts;
• Mismanagement;
• Physical strain.

Each of these stressors can manifest differently, though. Depending on your unique work situation, you may be tasked with viewing traumatic imagery, standing for long hours, lifting heavy objects repeatedly, or sitting idly staring at a computer screen. Whatever the case, several facets of your health are likely at risk, and will most likely increase signs of aging.

Eye Issues

One of the first signs of aging is vision problems — most notably, cataracts. However digital eye strain may also play a role in an early progression of eye problems, such as:

• Blurred vision;
• Cataracts;
• Dry eye;
• Eye irritation and redness;
• Vision-related headaches.

Long-term exposure to blue light may cause degeneration of the retina, leading to typically age-related vision loss and cataracts. Your eyes also need to produce tears to stay healthy. Prolonged use of tech devices causes dry eye syndrome. Repeated movements cause wrinkles, so squinting to see that small text on your computer screen also ages you in a more obvious way.

The good news is that you can reverse some of these eye issues. For example, LASIK is a non-invasive surgery that can correct vision and decrease a habit of squinting — and stop subsequent wrinkles and headaches caused by that squinting. Further, you can take steps to take care of your eyes with diet and exercise.

Heart Disease

If you’re experiencing vision issues because of repeated stress from work, you’re most likely experiencing other serious health issues as well, including high blood pressure and disease. One of the strongest links to cardiovascular disease is job stress. However, the exact mechanisms that lead to higher instances of heart issues are unknown. High-stress work environments may lead to maladaptive coping mechanisms, such as:

• Unhealthy eating;
• Low quality sleep;
• Lack of exercise;
• Smoking;
• Drinking;
• Drug use.

In any case, work’s propensity to stress often leads to an increased risk of coronary heart disease. You can mitigate this risk by paying attention to the negative behaviors you may have developed. Find ways to decrease your anxiety levels through yoga, meditation, therapy, or even switching up your job situation when possible.

Loss of Skin Elasticity

If you’re turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms because of work, these bad habits will often show through your skin, especially on your skin’s elasticity. The propensity to bounce back allows your skin to look youthful and hydrated. However, being too stressed at work can harm your skin’s supple tendencies.

This is caused by similar maladaptive strategies to cope with overworking and extra stress. Most notably, skin elasticity is affected if you:

• Smoke to destress;
• Travel for work in sunny locations;
• Work in a polluted city;
• Don’t have time for a healthy diet.

While skin naturally loses its elasticity as you age, the aforementioned behaviors only accelerate that aging process. There are ways to prevent this, as well — from applying skin products like sunscreen to drinking plenty of water when traveling.

Damage to Joints

Repetitive motions cause wear and tear on your joints, as well. Certain movements within occupations are linked to a higher risk of arthritis, such as:

• Athletics;
• Construction;
• Bricklaying;
• Landscaping;
• Mail delivery;
• Nursing;
• Typing;
• Warehouse stocking.

If your work-life balance is out of whack, you may be overworking your joints, and wearing down the cartilage that cushions them. This makes the bones rub against each other, causing inflammation and pain known as osteoarthritis.

This sounds like something that would only happen in industrial jobs, but any joint in your body can be overworked. If you notice pain in your joints, you should seek a doctor’s diagnosis. Osteoarthritis is typically treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Cymbalta, and other over-the-counter pain relievers.

You may also look into physical and occupational therapy. If the issue is severe, you may require surgery. The best way to prevent the need for invasive procedures is to keep an eye on your health. This includes eating well, exercising properly, and lessening the strain that your job may be putting on your joints. You may want to use assistive braces, or improve your work-life balance through a career change or shorter hours when possible.

Reduced Muscle Mass

Along with joint damage, overworking your muscles may also be possible. If you’re constantly tearing your muscles without giving them time to heal, they may become weaker and smaller. Conversely, sitting down all day also leads to muscle atrophy. This happens more quickly with age but overworking only accelerates this process.

Without proper care for your muscles, you are either underusing or overusing them — and muscle mass starts to dwindle. If you are stuck in an office chair all day, look into ergonomic options. You may also want to invest in a standing desk or take more breaks to walk or exercise. If you’re overworking muscles, taking more breaks and following the advice for joint issues should help.

Cognitive Impairment

Many employers overwork their staff to increase production output. However, they may be achieving the opposite effect. The human brain innately experiences a decline in memory and cognitive function as you age. A skewed work-life balance may accelerate this decline, though.

According to research, cognitive function is impaired when employees are routinely working over 55 hours a week. Some issues that occur include:

• An enlarged amygdala — prolonging negative responses to stimuli;
• Increased fatigue — with accompanying irritability and even insomnia;
• Memory loss — causing an inability to recall important details or concentrate fully.

Of course, some outliers still performed well on cognitive tests when overworked and overstressed. However, the vast majority showed a decline in intelligence — even when controlling for stress and other extraneous factors.

This should serve as a cautionary tale. Much like overworked muscles, your brain needs time to rest and rejuvenate. Most people will do well with regular sleep and work schedules, giving their body and brain time to recuperate.

Spider and Varicose Veins

Although spider veins are smaller than varicose veins, these enlarged veins are caused by the same thing — weak valves and walls. This is attributed to prolonged periods of sitting or standing. Other factors may play a part in these enlarged blood vessels, such as obesity or prior trauma. Of course, a poor work-life balance may lead to all four of these contributing factors.

Although these weakened vessels are associated with old age, overworking may speed up this process. While spider veins are smaller and mostly a cosmetic concern, varicose veins may come with some complications, such as:

• Blood clots;
• Pain and tenderness;
• Swelling and heaviness;
• Tingling.

Blood clots are sometimes life-threatening. With your blood pooling in certain places, it isn’t circulating to the other parts of your body that need it to keep you alive. There are minimally invasive treatments for enlarged veins, but the best course of action is to prevent them when possible. Much like the other adverse effects of overworking, taking time to improve your work-life balance will positively impact your health.