Is work stress driving your blood pressure up?

Hardworking, dependable, resilient, resourceful — just four of the many words used to describe what Filipinos are like on the job.

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In its 2021 report, Gallup, the global analytical firm, added another word to the list: stressed. According to Gallup, Filipino workers are the most stressed in Southeast Asia.

The occasional pressure can be good, motivating you to overcome challenges or go above and beyond your limits. But when the stress is chronic, meaning, it’s brought about daily by a demanding profession or a terror boss — it can have detrimental effects on your health.

“You know you’re stressed because you can feel it,” says Dr. Ramon D. Francisco of the Department of Cardiology of Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed). “Headaches, nausea, upset stomach, and pain and stiffness in the neck are typical symptoms of stress.”