With 75% of the Early Education workforce experiencing between levels 3 to 5 for their work related stress we look at the impact of this on our bodies and consider what we can do to support our wellbeing.
Is Hating Your Job Damaging Your Body?
Jun 11, 2019
When I worked as an early years teacher and leader I often had feelings of overwhelm and anxiety around doing my job well. I had an ever growing to do list and very little time to do these tasks. I would get up early to be the first in work and would always be the last one to leave. My weekends and evenings were often consumed with more work! My social life become non existent as I was either working or exhausted. Does this sound familiar?
The stress of the job was having such a negative impact on the way my body was responding. My skin was dull, my eyes had lost their sparkle (and had been replaced with dark bags) and I was exhausted and achey. No amount of expensive face cream or make up would give me a healthy glow.
We know that when we face stress in life that lasts for longer periods of time it can start to have a negative impact on our body.
Insomnia This includes broken sleep, struggling to fall asleep and nightmares.
Muscles ache When you feel under pressure, you're unsure of how your leader might react to something and you hold your body so tight with so much tension. This is often felt in the back, neck and shoulders. It may feel like you've been lifting a heavy weight.
Dizzyness When you're stressed, your body produces a surge of hormones which makes your heart beat faster and your blood vessels narrow. Which can lead to feelings of being light headed and dizziness. Longer term this also increased you blood pressure and puts you at a greater risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Weakened Immune System If you're feeling under pressure and stressed then you're immune system is weakened. This might mean you catch every bug going around and need to take more sick days. Which then contributes to the level of stress you feel.
Exhaustion
Do you feel as though it's just too hard to get up on a morning? You press snooze 3 times, you need a nap mid afternoon and crave sleep in's on weekend? When we find it hard to relax and switch off our body doesn't have any down time.
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