There are claims that work fatigue and exhaustion can lead to an increase in your weight. This article examines this assumption and how you can avoid burnout.
What Are the Study’s Findings?
According to a new study from researchers at the University of Georgia in Athens, adults who feel burned out adopt multiple unhealthy behaviors, which can lead to weight gain.
The researchers recruited nearly 1,000 men and women working full-time jobs and asked them about their workloads and burnout. The results showed employees with heavier workloads engage more in emotional eating or eating without stopping.
Burnout Is a Recognised Health Issue
In 1992, the International Classification of Diseases added burnout to its list of diagnosable syndromes in 1992. In the 11th revision of ICD, the syndrome’s definition is expanded and explains that burnout results from occupational stress and exhaustion.
Some companies have noticed the long-term effect this stress, lack of exercise, and poor self-care practices can have on their workforce. To this end, companies have been setting up workplace wellness programs for the past decade.
Most of these initiatives focus on weight management and overall wellness. These are aspects of your health that increase the company’s healthcare costs. It could also lead to reduced productivity in the future.
However, these wellness tests do not focus on how employees can handle the job demands.
Carla Marie Manly, Ph.D., said employers could do more to create collaborative work environments that fuel positive energy and reduce stress. She also said employers could hire supportive and receptive HR staff, which are important for reducing stress and providing stress-reduction learning opportunities.
How to Avoid Burnout
If you want to avoid burnout, these are some things you can do:
Stay aware
The first step in solving the problem is recognizing it. Manly said this will allow employees to make healthier choices in the long term.
Request boundaries
Employers can help employees avoid burnout by setting healthy work boundaries like no evening emailing. If your employer doesn’t offer these boundaries, you can request adjustments.
Focus on sleep
Sabina Brennan, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at Trinity College Dublin, said stress can lead to comfort eating or overindulgence in food. She also said insufficient or broken sleep can make you eat more the next day.
Conclusion
When work stresses you out, it is easy to fall back on food as a source of comfort and satisfaction, leading to unplanned weight gain. You can consult HR to suggest changes to your work schedule to help you avoid burnout.
