Heart disease is the top cause of death worldwide, claiming 8.9 million women’s lives each year, according to the World Health Organization. Despite this, awareness among women about heart disease risks has dropped from 65% in 2009 to just 44% in 2021.
Many women juggle work, family care, and home duties, creating ongoing stress that can harm their heart health.
How Work Stress Affects Women’s Hearts
Chronic work stress raises levels of cortisol, the body’s stress hormone. This increase can cause high blood pressure, inflammation, and insulin resistance-all factors that contribute to heart disease.
Studies show women facing high job and social stress have a 21% higher chance of developing coronary heart disease, a condition where the heart’s arteries narrow and limit blood flow.
Research from Harvard and other institutions confirms that women with stressful jobs have up to a 40% greater risk of heart problems compared to less stressed women. Stress also makes it harder to maintain healthy habits like exercising, eating well, and sleeping enough, which further increases heart risks.
The Double Burden: Work and Social Stress
A recent study from Drexel University highlights how stress from both work and social relationships adds up. Women experiencing strain at work and in their social lives face a combined 21% higher risk of heart disease. Stressful life events, like losing a loved one or going through a divorce, also increase heart disease risk by 12%. Social strain, meaning difficult relationships, raises risk by 9%.
What Can Be Done?
Experts urge better awareness and support for women facing work stress. Dr. Yvonne Michael from Drexel emphasizes the need to monitor stress in workplaces and recognize the extra burden women carry as caregivers at home. Managing stress through lifestyle changes, seeking medical advice, and balancing work and home responsibilities can help reduce heart disease risk.
This growing body of research makes it clear: extreme work stress is a serious threat to women’s heart health. Understanding and addressing this risk is key to protecting millions of women worldwide.
