South African professionals are under pressure and it’s affecting heart health

As South Africa marks World Hypertension Day 2026 under the theme “Controlling Hypertension Together: check your blood pressure regularly, defeat the silent killer”, new findings from the 2025 Profmed Stress Index highlight a growing concern among working professionals: stress is no longer just a mental health issue, it’s increasingly showing up in our physical health too.

The latest report makes it clear just how much things have shifted. For many South African professionals, stress has shifted from something that comes and goes to something that’s always there in the background.

And it’s starting to take a real toll on the body.

According to the report, nearly a third of respondents say stress is affecting their ability to exercise, 33% are struggling with sleep, and close to 30% report unhealthy eating habits. One their own, these might seem like small, everyday compromises, but over time they add up, and they’re all linked to a higher risk of developing high blood pressure.

“Stress is often seen as something emotional or mental, but the physical impact can be just as serious,” says Justine Lacy. “When stress becomes a constant, the body doesn’t really get a chance to reset. It stays in a heightened state for longer, and over time that can start to affect things like blood pressure, sleep and overall heart health.”

Hypertension, often called the “silent killer”, is one of the leading risk factors for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. The challenge is that many people don’t know they have it until something more serious happens.

For professionals juggling demanding jobs, long hours and ongoing pressure, it’s easy to ignore the early warning signs or brush them off as just ‘part of the job’. The Stress Index shows that many people are aware that stress is affecting their health but still don’t seek help. Time, cost and access to support remain real barriers, and in some workplaces, there’s still little room to prioritise wellbeing.

For many professionals, the warning signs don’t arrive dramatically. It’s skipped gym sessions, poor sleep, another takeaway meal, another week of pushing through exhaustion.
“Many professionals are operating under sustained pressure without enough time to recover,” Lacy explains. “The risk is that this starts to feel normal, so people only take action when something goes wrong.”

Beyond personal health, the knock-on effects are significant. Ongoing stress and conditions like hypertension can impact productivity, increase absenteeism and drive-up healthcare costs for both businesses and the broader system.

That’s why experts are calling for a more joined-up approach to prevention, one that treats stress management and cardiovascular health as part of the same conversation.

Regular blood pressure checks are still essential, but they’re only part of the picture. Creating healthier routines, making mental health support more accessible, and building workplaces that actively reduce stress all play a role.

The World Hypertension Day theme reinforces this idea of shared responsibility. Managing hypertension isn’t just up to individuals, it also depends on the environments they work in and the support systems around them.

“We can’t keep treating stress and heart health as separate issues,” adds Lacy. “If we want healthier professionals and more sustainable workplaces, stress management needs to be part of everyday preventative care, not something we only think about when there’s a crisis.”

Ultimately, the Profmed Stress Index is a reminder that health doesn’t suddenly break down overnight. It’s often a slow, gradual process. The earlier stress is recognised and managed, the better the chance of preventing more serious conditions such as hypertension down the line.