When it comes to health hazards, we generally think of things that are best avoided in order to protect our health and safety and promote a better quality of life. These include dangerous activities, violence, and unhealthy lifestyle choices like doing drugs or smoking cigarettes.

The question is, what do we do when the source of the hazard is not only something we do every day, but is also a necessary part of our daily lives? In other words, what happens when our jobs are hazardous to our health? As unbelievable as it may sound, researchers are realizing that something as seemingly harmless as our jobs are taking a significant toll on our lives, especially when it comes to stress.

In fact, a new study sheds light on the fact that an increasing number of workers are seeking out professional help to deal with the physical, mental, and emotional consequences of workplace stress. In some instances visits to health care professionals has increased up to 26%, particularly in high stress professions. The end result is that more people in medium to high stress jobs need to seek help in order to cope with what is an essential part of their daily lives.

In the study in question, published in the journal BMC Public Health, researchers examined data from a national survey that focused on adults between the ages of 18 and 65 years, which encompasses the majority of the labor force. Information was gathered on the number of times each worker visited a health care professional, the frequency of chronic illnesses, income level, and lifestyle choices, which included smoking and drinking alcohol.

What they found was that more and more workers are visiting their doctor in order to address problems stemming from work, or more specifically, workplace stress. While most people are familiar with stress on the job, there is a growing body of medical evidence that indicates that stress not only lowers a person's quality of life, but it can lead to actual physical and mental health problems.

In fact, doctors now believe that stress adversely affects a person's immune system and consequently makes them more susceptible to disease. Stress has been linked to such health problems as joint and back pain, heart disease, certain cancers, high blood pressure, and diabetes. High stress at work may also predispose individuals to engage in unhealthy choices which include drinking, smoking, and taking drugs. Finally, job stress may discourage workers from embracing a healthier lifestyle that involves getting enough sleep and exercise and eating a wholesome diet.

In the past, the health care field has studied how aging demographics and prescription drug use affect the cost of health care, but not as much effort has been made to understand the impact of workplace stress. This is gradually beginning to change as an increasing number of workers in this country cite their jobs as significant sources of stress in their lives. Experts estimate that the reduction in productivity due to stress costs companies upwards of $68 billion each year.

For this reason, it is important for workers and their employers to make the effort to reduce stress in the workplace. Improvements in working conditions could increase efficiency in the workplace, lower health care costs, and result in a greater quality of life for everyone involved.