Can office stress raise hypertension risk? Learn from an expert about what you need to do to stay safe. Workplaces take up the lion's share of employees' waking hours, so their behaviour and daily practices at work can have an extensive impact on health. This includes chasing deadlines, sitting for long hours in front of a laptop, attending back-to-back meetings, and rarely leaving room for mental rest or physical movement. With such an unhealthy work routine, professional life can bleed into personal life as it begins to take a toll on overall health.ALSO READ: Eye surgeon explains how diabetes and hypertension can speed up cataract formationStress is one of the biggest contributors to hypertension. (Picture credit: Pexel)Speaking to HT Lifestyle, Dr Murtaza S. Bagwala, head of emergency medical services at Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, shared that cases of hypertension, or high blood pressure, are being reported among officegoers.“High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is one of the most prevalent worries that have come out of this lifestyle pattern. Many working men and women may already be under the radar for hypertension, doctors caution,” he said.Why is hypertension called a ‘silent’ disease?The doctor then alerted that hypertension is also called a silent disease, implying that it is dangerous as it shows no obvious, noticeable symptoms. Most ailments present some kind of bodily signs that prompt people to seek medical help. But in the case of hypertension, the signs show up in the body when the damage may have already surpassed the early stages, keeping the afflicted in the dark for long time.And even if any signs do show up, they are often confused with common lifestyle problems like stress or sleep deprivation.“People often attribute headaches, tiredness, dizziness, lack of sleep, irritability, a feeling of ‘heaviness' in the head and shortness of breath to work stress or exhaustion. In some instances, however, these symptoms can be signs of increasing blood pressure,” Dr Bagwala explained.The worst part is that hypertension signs become prominent only when it starts causing problems in important organs. The doctor named organs like the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes, suggesting the extent of untreated hypertension.What are the risk factors?Some of the biggest factors the doctor outlined include stress, which he deemed to be the biggest contributor. Apart from this, sedentary habits like sitting for long periods, an unbalanced diet, limited physical activity, irregular meals, excess caffeine, smoking, poor sleep, less recovery time, and too much screen time can all lead to hypertension at a younger age.How to stay safe?Regularly monitor your blood pressure. (Picture credit: Shutterstock)Even if there are no prominent signs to identify it, Dr Bagwala advised, "It's important to make a habit of health checks for working adults, particularly those over 30 and those who have other risk factors like obesity, diabetes, smoking, a family history of hypertension and chronic stress.” Other than this, he advised lifestyle changes for better prevention and management, such as regular exercise, a balanced diet, adequate sleep, stress management, drinking plenty of water and regular blood pressure monitoring.Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.Adrija Dey’s proclivity for observation fuels her storytelling instinct. As a lifestyle journalist, she crafts compelling, relatable narratives across diverse touchpoints of the human experience, including wellness, mental health, relationships, interior design, home decor, food, travel, and fashion that gently nudge readers toward living a little better. For her, stories exist in flesh and bones, carried by human vessels and shaped through everyday endeavours. It is the small stories we live and share that make us human. After all, humans and their lores are the most natural and raw repositories of stories, and uncovering them, for her, is akin to peeling an orange under a winter afternoon sun. Always up for a chat, she believes the best stories come from unfiltered yapping, where "too much information" is kind of the point. A graduate of Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi, and an alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, Adrija spends her idle hours cocooned with herbal tea and a gripping thriller, scribbling inner monologues she loosely calls poetic pieces, often with her succulents in attendance. On lazier days, she can be found binge-watching, for the nth time, one from her comfort-show holy trinity: The Office (US), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or Modern Family. Dancing by herself to her peppy playlists, however, is an everyday ritual she swears by religiously.Read MoreHypertensionCatch every big hit, every wicket with Crick-it, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Quizzes, Polls & much more. Explore now!.Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Taylor Swift, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs.See Less