Woman’s weight drops below 40 kg after working at stressful media advertising company

SINGAPORE: Not everyone can just quit a job when it turns toxic. Bills won’t pay themselves, family responsibilities don’t go away, and let’s face it, the job market isn’t exactly forgiving. But how far can someone push themselves before their body starts waving a big red flag?

For one woman in Singapore’s media advertising industry, the warning came in the form of her weight. Months of long hours, endless deadlines, and office drama caused her weight to drop below 40 kilograms.

She shared anonymously online that her workdays often started at 10 a.m. and sometimes didn’t end until 2 or 3 in the morning.

She added that it was not just the long hours taking a toll on her, but also the work environment itself.

“The big boss micromanages all of us, plans are being switched, and we are all being gaslighted… We are just running around on tiptoes due to management’s temper,” she said. 

She also claimed there was a heavy presence of office politics and that management repeatedly pressured her to take on tasks far outside her area of expertise.

Why stress can cause weight loss

According to Healthline, a health information publisher in the US, stress can cause a person to lose weight because the body perceives stress as a “threat,” prompting it to enter a “fight or flight mode.”

When this happens, the body produces adrenaline, which can reduce appetite, and cortisol, which temporarily suppresses activities deemed unnecessary during a crisis (e.g., immune and reproductive systems).

Moreover, during the “fight or flight” mode, a person may experience gastrointestinal discomfort, including stomach pain, heartburn, diarrhoea, and constipation, because their body is slowing down digestion so it can focus on how to respond to the stressor.

This discomfort may subsequently cause a person to eat less and lose weight.

Stress can also disrupt sleep patterns, which may affect cortisol regulation and, in turn, influence metabolism.

What actions to take

Health experts recommend that people under stress try to eat regularly, even if it’s just a few bites at a time, and focus on consuming healthier options like fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods to maintain their energy and well-being.

They also advise that people who have lost more than five per cent of their body weight make an appointment with a doctor to rule out any underlying health issues.

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