It’s not just salt anymore: Why your stressful 10-hour workday could be pushing your blood pressure higher

For years, salt has carried most of the blame for high blood pressure. People stopped adding extra salt to meals, switched to “low sodium” snacks, and checked food labels carefully. Yet hypertension continues to rise, especially among working professionals who are spending longer hours at desks, in meetings, and glued to screens.The modern workday has quietly changed the way the human body functions. What once ended at 6 PM now stretches into late-night emails, weekend calls, and endless notifications. Many people are eating healthier than before, but sleeping less, moving less, and worrying more. Doctors now say that chronic work stress may be doing more damage to blood pressure than the salt shaker sitting on the dining table.A growing body of global research is beginning to support this shift. According to a joint study by the World Health Organization and International Labour Organization, working 55 hours or more a week is linked to a significantly higher risk of stroke and heart disease.