India's startup culture has taken some unimaginable speed over the past decade. Beginning as a melting pot of promising young, adventurous entrepreneurs, this industry now rakes in millions of investors, innovators, and dreamers. Amid all the frenzy lies a more malicious side to this startup world in the making-unseen, perhaps, but unmistakable stress.
Stress is referred to as the silent killer. It is now a part of startup culture. The entrepreneurs and the employees are working for long hours, juggling several tasks, and are always under pressure to scale, meet deadlines, and make profits. The high-pressure environment is pretty dangerous, and many find themselves at the crossroads of burnout and health issues, and heart attacks are one of the most dangerous among them.
Is stress really the reason behind heart attacks in the Indian startup world or is it just a myth? Let's dig into this and understand the relationship between stress & heart health in the Indian startup ecosystem.
The Rise of Stress in the Startup Culture
The startup world, in India has been glorified as a land of freedom and creativity and innovations. But then, freedom involves responsibility and the pressure of having that responsibility, too. Entrepreneurs are afraid to fail. The stakes range from securing funds to scaling operations in such a cutthroat competitive country where resources are always limited. All this can get a person a lot of stressful.
The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences conducted a study recently where it found out that nearly 47% of Indian entrepreneurs live with stress on very high levels. The very root characteristic of startups - agility, and adaptability - requires their entrepreneurs to work long hours in multiple roles delivering some very unpredictive nature of outcomes. All these causes chronic stress, unless treated, have a possibility of leading to severe medical conditions like heart attacks.
Stress and Heart Health?
Stress and heart attacks are linked to each other. The body releases a hormone called cortisol in the brain. This hormone prepares the body for the "fight or flight" response, raises the heart rate, the blood pressure and the blood sugar levels. It helps us cope with stress in the short term, however. But when stress becomes chronic, the body is always in a state of high alert, which can be bad for heart health.
Chronic stress overtime can result in the buildup of plaque in the artery, thereby narrowing it, and increasing the chances of heart disease. All those associated with stress are unhealthy habits, such as a bad diet, lack of proper exercise, and substance abuse, which can include smoking or excessive drinking. All these are risk factors for heart diseases.
Since, in the start-up world work-life balance becomes a luxury. Thus, adding these stressors up to cardiovascular illnesses in entrepreneurs as well as workers.
Heart Attacks in the Startup World: A Growing Problem
Many cases have been seen wherein startup founders and young entrepreneurs experience heart attacks that sometimes turn fatal. The media blows this up, but they never talk about the real reason that is behind such stress- "stress".
In 2021, a popular startup founder from Bangalore, famous for his maniacal work ethic, died of a heart attack at the age of 35. It was a jolt to the Indian startup ecosystem and highlighted how stress induced heart conditions can become a killer. Unfortunately, it is not a one-off.
Many factors contribute to this. Entrepreneurs prioritize work over health, assuming their dreams and ventures require sacrifice – even if it means sacrificing physical and mental well being. Early mornings, late nights, back to back meetings and constant decision making all contribute to a life filled with stress.
The Question of Culture: Is the Environment Healthy in the Startup World?
Does Indian startup culture have a role in these health crises? The culture of the startup world glorifies hustle, long hours, and risk taking and thus the "no pain no gain" mindset. The work culture rewards overwork and undervalues rest. While this may work in the short term it is not sustainable in the long term.
Now it is time for us to face the expectations that entrepreneurs and employees have from such a culture. Should the world of startups still make 'sacrifice health for success' sound appealing? Or we should look toward a healthier work culture?
Preempts Heart Attacks in the Startup World
So how can the startup world reduce the risk of stress-induced heart attacks?
Here are some solutions:
1. Awareness of Mental Health
High pressure industries like startups are usually very oblivious to mental health. Awareness creation about the harmful effects of chronic stress and availability of mental health resources can work wonders in the prevention of health problems. Periodic counseling, stress management workshops, and discussions on mental well-being can work wonders in breaking the stigma.
2. Work-Life Balance
While the world of startups can be demanding, one needs to take time to relax and unwind. Engage employees and entrepreneurs in some form of breaks, hobbies out of work, and health management to reduce levels of stress.
3. Exercise and Diet
Healthy body equals a healthy mind. Regular workout, balanced diet and proper sleep in order to live a stress-free life and escape heart disease start-ups can actually provide gym memberships or fitness program to encourage overall health among staff members.
4. An Ecosystem of Support
For many entrepreneurs, the journey into a startup is a solo venture. A community that fosters collaboration over competition can really help reduce feelings of isolation that often lead to mental health issues. Peer support and mentorship programs can be great sources of emotional stability.
