At some point or another we’ve all muttered the words “This job makes me sick!” Turns out that statement may be truer than any of us thought. Several studies have found links between certain careers and health issues. In a study published in the Administrative Science Quarterly, researchers looked at two dozen young investment bankers who worked between 80 to 120 hours a week (going to work around 6 a.m. and leaving work around midnight, found that as time went on they had increased risks of health problems like alcoholism, arthritis and Crohn’s disease. It is also well documented that people who spend most of their day shackled to a desk for eight or more hours a day were found to have an increased risk of diabetes, cancer and even death.
Of course all jobs come with health risks, but if you work in any of these fields you might be more at risk. Check out these five jobs that have been linked to certain physical and mental health issues.
“Standing” Jobs
According to Everyday Health foot arthritis can be a health risk for people who have to stand a lot for work — including teachers — because they are on their feet all day. People who have to stand a lot for their jobs should wear comfortable shoes and not high heels to avoid stress on your joints.
Construction Work
If you know someone working in construction make sure they stay on top of their health, inhaled dust from construction could put workers at risk for lung problems like cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma. Occupational lung disease is the No. 1 cause of work-related illness.
Personal Caregivers
People whose job it is to care for someone have the highest rate of depression. It is definitely stressful watching people get sick and seeing their health decline everyday without receiving any counseling to deal with it all. Eleven percent of people in this field of work have had a major depressive episode and last year, Reuters reported that one in four people who care for an elderly relative or friend have depression.
Soldier
Being an enlisted soldier topped this year’s CareerCast.com ranking of the most stressful jobs. From serving food in the mess hall to fighting a battle on the front line, to avoiding land mines along the path to a village, the duties a soldier carries out have very different levels of responsibility.
Overtime Worker
This last one may not necessarily be a career, but it is a part of working that many of us deal with on a regular basis. Working overtime, 11 or more hours a day, is linked with a more than doubled risk of a major depressive episode, compared with people who work the more standard seven to eight hours a day.
Is your job affecting your health?