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52
53
THE BACK OFFICE
the
manager
WINTER 2011
human being faces fear (and this can
include the fear of failure) his or her
brain can produce something called
an ‘Amygdala hijack’ where one centre
of the brain, the Amygdala, reacts
by ‘hijacking’ the thought process
before the Thalamus and Cortex (the
higher centres) can decipher things
more rationally. The result can be an
oversensitive reaction by the heart,
which can produce significant (and
potentially hazardous) changes in its
rhythm and rate.
So what can be done to minimise
the impact of work-related pressure on
the heart? The first thing – working
on the assumption that prevention is
better than cure – is to make sure that
you are regularly tested, both clinically
and physiologically. Heart problems
can be spotted and even reversed
(or at least stopped in their tracks)
through early diagnosis.
Next, of course, is exercise. When
moderate exercise is taken regularly,
it generates an increased release of
endorphins which promotes the ‘good
chemistry’ that expands arteries and
puts a person on a relaxed high. Hard
‘high end’ anaerobic exercise does
the opposite (especially to those who
are not used to it) and can produce
dangerous cardiac arrhythmias,
especially during recovery. Moderate
exercise also uses some of the sugars,
cholesterol and other substances that
are released during times of stress,
helping to avoid a build-up of these.
In addition to exercise, it can
also help to practice daily relaxation
techniques that focus on heart-centred
feelings (appreciation, not frustration)
and deep, regulated breathing. Even
doing this for 10 minutes per day
can help reduce the sympathetic
drive that fires adrenaline and
cortisol into your system (but it
only works if you do it regularly).
Similarly, it can help to take a few
minutes every day to identify the
things that cause the stress in your
life and find ways to neutralise,
reduce or eliminate them.
Where possible, it also helps to
surround yourself with people you
enjoy working with, as the chemistry
of appreciation is both endorphin-
based and cardio-protective (the
chemistry of antagonism, on the
other hand, often fuels adrenaline
and cortisol production).
Dietary supplements can also
help, but you should only use
those of a high quality. The Parent
Essential Oils mentioned in last
issue’s ‘Expert Comment’ are
cardio and cancer-protective, while
L Arginine is thought to have
properties that help relax and reduce
the stiffness of arteries.
Very few managers will allow
stress to drive them away from
their work, so realising the factors,
emotions and causes of potential
health hazards and heading
them off at the pass is crucial.
So often we hear of people who
have been aware of health issues
but have put them on the ‘back
burner’ because of the pressures of
work. This is never wise. In the
case of football mangers, of the
first 54 tested on the LMA’s ‘Fit
To Manage’ programme, a full 24
(44 per cent) recorded risk factors
relating to potential heart problems.
Be aware of the dangers of work-
related stress and take all steps
necessary to counteract it.
It has never been more
important for managers to look
after their hearts than in today’s
high-pressure world. Although
this is largely a physical process,
a major part of it is handling the
emotions that could lead to a series
of hazardous physiological and
biochemical reactions. The ‘lash of
ambition’ and desire to perform to
the maximum has its upside, but it
also has potential dangers.
Here’s how pressure and emotion
have their physical effects. As soon
as things get tense, the sympathetic
branch of the body’s autonomic
nervous system (ANS) kicks in,
stimulated by the super renal glands.
The result is that adrenaline and
cortisol (the stress hormone) are
released into the blood, increasing
the heart rate, raising blood
pressure and prompting other
cardiac responses. Other emotional
responses, including anxiety, anger
and hostility, intensify this reaction.
Other physical responses to
emotional pressure can include
an increase in cholesterol and a
release of fatty acids and sugars
into the blood (for energy). Faster
blood clotting also occurs as the
body prepares for either physical
confrontation or escape (the ‘fight
or flight’ reaction). Stomach acids
increase, but there is a decrease
in protein synthesis, intestinal
movement (digestion) and also
a reduced immune response.
One other physical effect which
should also be noted happens
entirely within the brain. When a
keep your mind healthy and your heart will follow
With
Dr Dorian Dugmore
Health &
Wellbeing
Dr Dorian Dugmore is founder of the
LMA’s Fit To Manage programme,
run in association with Wellness
International at the adidas Wellness
Centre in Stockport, funded by the
Barclays Premier League