Workplace Stress & Overweight #QWL

Note en Fran?ais: l'article complet en fran?ais ici .

A True Cortisol Cacophony

Hello, friend. Have you ever felt like your workday was an endless marathon with obstacles popping up at every step? Isn't that what you feel in this last "home stretch" that represents the end of the year? Or each end of the quarter? Or month?

That's workplace stress, dear reader.

And it's not just an unpleasant feeling – it's also a real potential risk to your health. If you're already overweight or obese, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

When you're stressed, particularly in your work environment, your body goes into "fight or flight" mode, secreting a symphony of hormones. The star of this show? Cortisol, a hormone orchestrated by your adrenal glands (located on the top of your kidneys). But here's the catch – while this maestro is there to help you overcome obstacles in a crisis, if it continues to play its melody uninterrupted, it leads to a cacophonous plethora of health problems.

False Notes: The Drawbacks of Prolonged Cortisol Exposure

Here's an overview of the impacts of cortisol.

??First stop: your immune system.

Have you ever noticed that you get sick more often when you are overwhelmed by work deadlines? It's not just a coincidence, my friend. With cortisol hitting high notes, your immune response hits a low, making you more susceptible to infections.

??Secondly, cortisol can strike a bitter note on your mental harmony.

It is closely linked to mental health issues such as anxiety or depression. Those days when you feel low, anxious, or simply not quite yourself are certainly due to this prolonged lullaby of cortisol at work.

??Lastly, and perhaps most critical: weight gain.

Long-term exposure to high levels of cortisol leads directly to your weight gain and increased risk of heart diseases. Imagine this: your body, caught in the endless cycle of emergency mode, turns sugars into fats. Then accumulates them because it anticipates the next crisis.

That's where the biochemistry gets really interesting.

Workplace Stress & Weight Gain: The Unwanted Reminder of Chronic Stress

A high level of cortisol can wreak havoc on your body. It leads to rapid weight gain and, eventually, obesity. But how exactly does this happen?

When your stress level skyrockets, cortisol instructs your liver to release glucose into the blood through a metabolic pathway sweetly named "neoglucogenesis". This provides energy to your organs and muscles.

But this excess glucose is too much. Insulin can't make it fully consumed where it's supposed to be needed. Especially since you don't really have a crisis to "fight or flight", and thus the glucose is largely unused.

It's therefore converted into fat, stored mainly in the abdominal region. That's where most of your fat cells are located, although people might have different (android or gynecoid) types of obesity.

And as if that wasn't enough, cortisol also triggers the release of Ghrelin, the hunger hormone. Which prompts you to snack uncontrollably between meals.

Fair warning! So it's no wonder that excess cortisol is a ticking time bomb for our health. Over time, this constant state of emergency can lead to high blood pressure and other heart problems. It's as if your body is constantly preparing for a storm... That never comes!

Note: If you're both stressed at work and obese or overweight, it's time to stop blaming yourself. It's important to realize that overeating is just a symptom of your weight issues. The real underlying cause is the chronic stress, which disrupts your cortisol levels and misleads your body to store fat and increase hunger. Most people have no idea. They prefer to give in to the easy way of thinking of obese people as gluttons, spineless and lazy.

Retune Your Quality of Work Life (#QWL): Harmonize Your Cortisol Levels

Now, I know all this might sound a bit scary, but don't worry. There are ways to keep your cortisol level in check.

Regular physical activity, a balanced diet, good sleep hygiene, and mindfulness practices like meditation can significantly help you. Remember: it's not about completely eliminating workplace stress (after all, some little stress when needed can be positive). It's about learning to manage it more effectively.

And if it's the job itself that's toxic, or some colleagues you can't get away from, then don't ever doubt you're likely to find plenty of other employers happy to hire you. Perhaps even for a 4-day workweek paid full-time? No one can pitch it better than Laurent De La Clergerie himself, a french pioneer in this field with his company Groupe LDLC .

So the next time you feel stress mounting, take a deep breath and remember: your health is worth more than any deadline... or any toxic boss or colleague.

After all, you're not just a cog in the company – you're a human being, who lives, breathes, and deserves to be considered and treated kindly... Starting with yourself!

So go ahead, let go, and give yourself a little break, will you?

Stephane Persyn - You can also find me on YouTube , Instagram , Facebook , or 130kilos.fr )

PS: I hope you've enjoyed this article, and that it's given you a little something extra to learn that you didn't already know. Anyway, I'd love to hear what you think about stress at work and whether you recognize a link with your (possible) overweight or obesity.