This Is What Happens to Your Body When You Hate Your Job

Everyone has bad days at work, but there are some signs that employees need to be on the lookout for before a bad day at work turns into never-ending, debilitating workplace stress that can in turn damage your health.

Too many Americans are trapped in toxic jobs, and employers and employees need to take the problem more seriously.Through his research, Jeffrey Pfeffer, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford University and author of the book “Dying for a Paycheck,” has found that mismanagement in U.S. companies accounts for 8 percent of annual health care costs and is responsible for 120,000 deaths each year.

Before you’re quite ready, your body may know that your stress symptoms are caused by your job, thus sending you a red alert that you’re not feeling well.

You can’t sleep.

Oftentimes, the first thing we hear about is sleepless nights.People report either not being able to fall asleep or stay asleep because of their thoughts.They wake up in the middle of the night thinking about things to do.

Not being able to sleep for a few nights isn’t a big deal, but if this becomes a habit, it could indicate that the stress of your job has become harmful.

If it’s consistently work-related, it’s a sign that something is out of balance.

You’ll get a headache.

Your muscles tense up to protect your body from injury.According to the American Psychological Association, your muscles tense up when you perceive your workplace as a danger zone.Chronic tension in the neck, shoulders and head may be linked to migraines and tension headaches.

Stress produces physical symptoms and manifests as pain

You have generalized muscle pain.

When your job is toxic, you can feel like you’re wrestling with a wild tiger at your desk.In response to a perceived threat, your brain secretes adrenaline and other stress hormones.

In toxic work, our nervous systems are always on edge.We are always expecting and ready to react to an unpleasant boss or coworker.

If you’re always arching your shoulders and gritting your teeth when typing “just following up” on emails, it could be a sign that your work is affecting your health.

Your mental health has gotten worse.

Increased stress can exacerbate existing mental health problems.In very hostile work environments, some people may become worried; this worry tends to intensify, even to the point of clinical diagnosis.

If you feel like your boss is always trying to target you, your mental health is in jeopardy.A 2012 analysis of 279 studies found that a sense of organizational unfairness was linked to employee health problems such as binge eating and depression.

Unfair treatment at work can cause us a great deal of stress, says E. Kevin Kelloway, Canada Research Chair in Occupational Health Psychology at St. Mary’s University.

Injustice is a particularly harmful stressor because it strikes at the very core of our being.When you treat me unfairly, you are violating my dignity as a human being – essentially saying that I don’t deserve to be treated fairly or on par with others.

You’ll get sick more often.

If you’re constantly getting colds, consider how you feel about your job.Numerous studies have shown that chronic stress can compromise the immune system and make you more susceptible to illness.

You’ve lost interest in sex.

How you allocate your time reflects what you value.When you bring work home, your relationships may suffer.The American Psychological Association states that when women have to juggle professional pressures on top of ongoing personal and financial obligations, their libido decreases.For men, this chronic stress leads to a decrease in testosterone production, which in turn leads to a lower sex drive.

There has to be a certain level of relaxation in order to be sexually aroused.There’s also the time factor.People say there isn’t enough time for sex.

You’re always tired.

It’s fatigue, a bone-deep weariness that no amount of naps or weekend sleeping can cure.

There is no set way for individuals to react to toxic workplaces.Fatigue is one of the physical symptoms that employees may feel.

Toxic work creates a cycle that leaves us exhausted.You feel overwhelmed because you work too many hours, and you work too many hours because you feel overwhelmed.

Your stomach’s acting up.

Indigestion, constipation, and bloating can all be related to stress because stress affects intestinal digestion and also changes our gut bacteria, which in turn affects our mood.

That’s why you get stomach aches when you’re upset.

Your appetite will change.

Appetite is closely linked to the brain.Under acute stress, your “fight or flight” response releases adrenaline, which tells your body to inhibit digestion and focus on saving us from perceived danger, according to the Harvard Health Newsletter.However, under chronic stress, your adrenal glands release and build up cortisol, a hormone that increases hunger.When your job is causing you chronic emotional distress, you may turn to food for comfort.

Harvard also reports that eating sugary foods may diminish stress-related reactions and emotions, which is why they’re often seen as comfort foods – but it’s an unhealthy habit you should avoid.

What you can do to fix this

Take a break.When your body is on high alert to fend off unreasonable demands and bad bosses, you need to give it a break.

If we don’t give our nervous system a chance to relax and reset, it can begin to cause long-term damage.Companionship, meditation and exercise outside of the workplace can help counteract the symptoms of stress.

Reframing Negative Thinking.One of the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy is that what you think can change how you feel.Not everyone can change jobs, but we can focus on the situations we can control.We can use positive thinking to manage our unhelpful musings about how the presentation is going or what our colleagues think of us.

Leave.Consider this a warning that you need a new job.Long hours, lack of autonomy, uncertain work schedules and financial instability at work are all contributing factors to a toxic work environment where employees need to leave, not just cope.You need to address the root problem, not deal with the symptoms.