A study that examined the driving risks for teens found that stress and depression increased the likelihood that they would engage in risky driving tactics, according to researchers at Queensland University of Technology.

While the trial only looked at teenagers, the findings add weight to theories that mental conditions like anxiety, stress and depression lead people to make unsound decisions.

The researchers’ study involved about 760 teenage drivers and found that feelings of anxiousness or sadness were responsible for 8.5 percent of the dangerous driving that occurred.

“We already know that psychological distress, such as anxiety and depression, has been linked to risky behavior in adolescents including unprotected sex, smoking and high alcohol consumption,” said lead author Bridie Scott-Parker.

Results of this study suggest that employees who have high levels of stress, which have been shown to lead to depression, may end up making bad decisions in the workplace. Employee wellness programs that include tools and resources for stress management may help to ease the minds of staff members while promoting their overall health.

In an article on the Huffington Post’s blog, author Joe Robinson states that stress has huge impacts on the brain as well as healthcare costs, but that techniques to relieve anxiety are actually quite simple.

Robinson said that workplace stress can trigger a panic response in the brain, causing the body to feel as though it is in danger, when really the only threat is a loaded inbox.

“Stress constricts your brain to the perceived crisis and inhibits all the things that can reduce the stress, such as relaxation, recreation and play,” Robinson wrote.

Such intense stress can lead to a compendium of physical ailments, from adrenal dysfunction to back pain. However, the solution may be as simple as controlling emotions by taking a deep breath. Robinson said that stress management techniques that involve focused breathing and looking at the situation from a different perspective may halt the stress response before it affects the body.

The Better Health Channel reports that controlled deep breathing can calm the nervous system as well as lower blood pressure. Moreover, it can contribute to a better sense of wellness and lower workplace stress.

An increasing number of workers are converting their work-related stress into an animated video.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the movie-making website Xtranormal has become popular with disgruntled employees who are looking to vent. The platform allows user to air their job-related gripes, but in a humorous format.

Xtranormal’s videos feature two animated teddy bears moving their lips. Users can record their own audio, which creates a unique image: cute cartoon characters complaining about their jobs. Some psychologists say that this venting platform can be a healthy way to deal with stress, as long as their videos do not insult co-workers, the news provider reported.

Office managers may want to consider implementing employee wellness programs, which can help workers better cope with stress. By introducing e-learning software as part of their corporate wellness initiative, employers may prevent employees from using their own digital tool, such as Xtranormal, to deal with stress.

Approximately one-fourth of American employees view their jobs as the number one source of stress in their lives, according to a survey conducted by the Northwestern National Life.

It’s no secret that a night spent tossing and turning often leads to a foggy, unproductive workday. Now, a team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Tufts University has discovered just why the brain reacts the way it does to sleep deprivation.

When the brain doesn’t get enough rest, a chemical called nucleoside adenosine is released from pathways known as gliatransmitters, causing levels of the compound to spike in the hippocampus.

The researchers discovered this in a mouse model, and hope to use these findings to learn more about sleep deprivation in humans.

Authors of the study said their experiments were designed to mimic the effects of losing about four hours of sleep in one night. They found that this significantly impaired the rodents’ cognitive ability.

“Most of us would think [four hours is] pretty minor, but it shows just how critical the need for sleep is for things like cognition,” said lead researcher Ted Abel.

Moreover, a lack of sleep has been shown to lead to a vulnerability to stress. Results of this study suggest that employee wellness programs that provide tools and resources for healthy sleep and stress management may have significant effects on employee performance.

May 17 marks the beginning of the three-day HeartMath Best Practices Conference, where hospital administrators will gather to share the ways in which the employee wellness program has boosted performance and reduced workplace stress.

Moreover, Todd C. Linden, president and chief executive officer of Grinnell Regional Medical Center in Iowa, will be blogging daily about the most interesting findings of the 19 scheduled panels and presentations.

“I’m delighted to share my thoughts on a progressive approach to stress management that many hospitals are now providing to their employees,” Linden said. “The conference presentations include hospitals that have employed HeartMath’s research-based approach, which depicts the stress and performance relationship through science.”

Linden’s blog will be accessible through HeartMath.com, GRMC.us and TheHealthcareBlog.com.

Among the topics to be discussed and presented at the conference are HeartMath integration techniques and fostering staff well-being as well as research and findings about the program and its efficacy.

Hospitals are perhaps an ideal setting for programs like those offered by HeartMath, since many healthcare workers endure long shifts, make difficult decisions on a daily basis and are under intense pressure while on the job.

In a study that was conducted at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, researchers showed that individuals who take antidepressants may experience some alleviated symptoms, but many still have insomnia, a loss of focus and feelings of sadness.

The team of scientists analyzed the data of more than 4,000 participants over a six-year period and found that all of the individuals reported having between three and 13 symptoms of depression while on medication, with sleep loss being most prevalent.

“Widely used antidepressant medications, while working overall, missed these symptoms. If patients have persistent residual symptoms, these individuals have a high probability of incomplete recovery,” said lead author Shawn McClintock.

A new study that was conducted at the University of Leicester reveals that college and university professors who have the most engagement with their students are more likely to experience burnout than their less-involved colleagues.

Moreover, in an evolving academic environment where more people are studying part-time, online or remotely, professors have even more pressure on their shoulders since these students often require extra attention.

The researchers said that it’s important for administrators to be aware of things like workplace stress and burnout, since it can lead to weaker employee performance and even depression.

“By the time people feel burnt out they may feel terribly isolated and disassociated from their host institution so it is worthwhile finding ways of dealing with it much earlier,” said lead author Noelle Robertson.

The study authors noted that job burnout is associated with poor mental health, anxiety, sleep disorders, immune deficiency, unbalanced hormones and dysfunctional metabolism.