By Han Manman (Beijing Today)
Updated: 2008-05-04 10:30

Stress can depress

Example: Bai Yu, PR company

When I am in my office, I feel tired and sleepy, but when I get home, I feel very clear-headed.

Expert opinions: For many people, work dominates their lives. Some occupations are more stressful or pressured than others, like IT, PR, and consulting industries.

Increased stress and depression have been linked to a number of chronic and non-chronic health issues like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart attacks.

You can do this:

1 Get enough sleep. Rest is essential to good health and stress relief. With proper rest, not only will your body be better able to deal with long work hours, but your emotional outlook will improve as well.

2 Respect your limits. Long hours and little sleep, compounded with emotional stress are a disaster waiting to happen. It's better to call it quits, go home, rest and return the next day refreshed than to push yourself past your limits and risk illness or possible strain.

3 Take advantage of company services. Today many companies offer lunchtime yoga or exercise classes, or have a massage therapist on call for employees.

Headaches and fatigue

Example: Zhang Xinghua, real estate Company

I always develop headaches and fatigue in the afternoon at work, and sometimes the headaches are very serious. But when I get to the hospital, the doctor says I have no physical problems.

Expert opinions: Having a computer screen positioned incorrectly can lead to headaches and fatigue. Researchers from the Kongsberg College of Engineering, Norway, quantified the long-term effects of screen positioning on 150 offices workers. They found that employees who had their computer screens misaligned just 15 degrees experienced more pain and stiff necks resulting in more sick leave. To correctly position a screen, make sure that the top of the screen is at eye level.

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