Terrorism induced anxiety-related insomnia can cause 'job stress'

A new study has revealed that anxiety-related insomnia depletes vital resources, paving the way for occupational burnout. new Tel Aviv University study has addressed for the first time the direct link between terrorism and increased incidence of job burnout over time.

Lead researcher Dr. Sharon Toker of TAU's Faculty of Management, in collaboration with Dr. Gregory A. Laurence of the University of Michigan and Dr. Yitzhak Fried of Syracuse University and Texas Tech University, examined the state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion and suggested that fear of terror should be considered as a major job stressor and it also explores the positive contribution of workplace colleagues in reversing this troubling trend.

The researcher said that terror brings the saliency of death into our awareness and one tends not to be reminded of death on a daily basis, but terrorism every day drives home the idea that one can die at any moment. With terror attacks, there is nothing to be done, and that is really frightening.

The study found that higher your levels of fear of terror at baseline, the higher your risk of developing insomnia -- and those who were more likely to develop insomnia were also most likely to experience job burnout several years later and those who reported support from colleagues - but not managers - developed significantly less insomnia and little incidence of job burnout after several years.

The study was published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior.