A Business Executive Adversely Affects One's Health

In today’s American society, a business executive can no longer work a normal forty hour work week. Now, most American business executives are “working 51 hours or more a week. . . this likely doesn’t include them doing e-mails at home, answering BlackBerrys at family events, etc.” (Staff). The adverse effects of working overly long work hours can be detrimental to both their mental and physical health.
The thematic connection between two of the articles that are found in the stimulus material “A World Without Work” and “Long Working Hours and Cancer Risk: a Multi-Cohort Study” is that working can affect one’s health, whether it be beneficial or harmful. From this theme, the question “does being a business executive adversely affect an American’s

Dictionary.com refers to stress as “physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension.” Many executives in the United States feel stressed on a daily basis, which brings adverse health effects. “A survey of more than 1,300 HR managers has found that 44% report that their level of stress has increased in the last six months” (Higginbottom). The physical effects of stress include “myocardial infarction, high blood pressure, ulcers, headache, neck and back pain, skin rashes and low resistance to infections” (Mental). The three most deadly effects from these are myocardial infarction, also known as a heart attack (Myocardial), high blood pressure, and ulcers. Ramona Fasula explains in her article that “the biggest killer . . . among executives, accounting for over 60% of Medicare costs and death is heart attacks.” The CDC states that “high blood pressure was a primary or contributing cause of death for more than 410,000 Americans.” The NCBI mentions in their article that “Peptic ulcer was the primary cause of death in 6,700 subjects per year.” These harmful health problems are on the rise, causing for more business executives in the United States to have their health adversely affected. Along with physical illness’, businessmen and women at managerial positions are becoming more susceptible to mental complications. Long work hours can also adversely affect a woman’s

J.M. Harrington states that with extended working hours, “rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and stage 2 sleep have been shown to be reduced.” REM sleep is important because “if your REM sleep is disrupted even one night, your body won’t follow its normal circadian sleep cycle (“inner clock”) progression”(Azumio). This disturbance of sleep can cause one to be drowsy the next day at work, causing their productivity to lessen. Ann Pietrangelo of Healthline.com states that “Chronic sleep deprivation can interfere with balance, coordination, and decision-making abilities.” She also states that other risks associated with sleep deprivation are paranoia, impulsive behavior, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Matt McMillen of CNN states in his article that “workers who put in an average of at least 11 hours per day at the office had roughly two and a half times higher odds of developing depression than their colleagues who clocked out after seven or eight hours.” Depression can be a life-threatening mental illness to have. The CDC explains in their article that in 2016, depression was the main cause of death for 42,773 people. Since depression is an effect of long work hours that cause a lack of sleep, such as those of a business executive, this can cause harm to many Americans that are in a managerial position. Pietrangelo also states that “lack of sleep can trigger mania in people who have manic depression.”