Don’t let job stress weigh you down

In the “I Love Lucy” episode “Job Switching,” Lucy and Ethel take a job in a candy factory. When they find themselves on the candy-wrapping assembly line and can’t keep up with the task as the chocolates whiz by, Lucy frantically snatches the sweets from the conveyor belt and stuffs them in her mouth.

The stress of her job drove Lucy to overeat! And that impulse turns out to be quite common.

Two new studies show the response to job stress earlier in the day can come back to haunt you in the form of bad eating habits in the evening. Researchers followed more than 200 employees in two groups; one group was in information technology, and the other in customer service.

In both studies, participants who experienced higher levels of stress earlier in the day were likely to respond by eating more and making less nutritious choices at night.

Lack of sleep the night before went along with making poor food choices too. On the other hand, getting plenty of sleep the previous night seemed to protect workers from eating poorly after a stressful day.

Work stress plagues 80 per cent of Americans, and 70 per cent are overweight or obese. Both are health problems – and both can be resolved.

So, reduce your stress response by getting more and better quality sleep, and take time to meditate, even if it’s at your desk. Then enjoy a healthy meal (no added sugars, sat fats or highly processed foods) and a good night’s sleep. Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare.com.