New Study: Being Your Own Boss is Good for Your Heart

New research suggests ditching the corporate hamster wheel and striking out on your own as a founder offers surprising health benefits.

If you’ve ever wondered how striking out on your own (being self-employed) affects your heart health, science has been digging in. Two recent studies suggest there may be surprising health advantages for many self-employed women.

Can Being Your Own Boss Be Good for Your Heart?

I’ve been on my own as a self-employed marketing expert and publicist for almost 30 years. Since the moment I made the decision to leave my job working for someone else, I’ve never looked back.

Over the years I’ve worked with countless self-employed female founders from lots of industries. They’ve been part of variously sized startups, well established companies, in family partnerships, and solopreneurs.

As a result I’ve heard the stress stories from the self employed: they work long hours, often deal with unpredictable income, and always have to hustle. But one thing always shines through – an optimism and belief that they were doing something that was the product of their own imaginations.

So when I read this new research from UCLA Health and BMC Public Health, I wasn’t surprised to find that being your own boss might actually lower certain health risks, especially for women.

What the UCLA and BMC Public Health Studies Did

Researchers analyzed nearly two decades of U.S. health data (NHANES 1999–2018), looking at working adults between the ages of 30 and 62. Instead of just asking people how they “felt,” the team looked at hard health markers like:

Obesity and hypertension
Diet quality and physical activity
Sleep patterns and mental health

Then they compared outcomes between people who were self-employed and those who worked for someone else.

Population studied: Working, non-pregnant U.S. adults aged ~30-62, from the NHANES data set (1999-2018).

What was measured: Real, objective health markers not just self-reports. Factors such as elevated cholesterol, hypertension, obesity, poor diet, low physical activity, sleep quality, mental health, etc.
Variables of interest: Employment type (self-employed vs salaried/employee); sex (male/female); racial and ethnic minority status.

✅ Pros of Self-Employment for Heart Health

Greater flexibility and autonomy in daily schedule
Better sleep patterns (especially for women)
Lower obesity rates and higher physical activity
Improved diet quality for some groups
Less exposure to certain workplace stressors

⚠️ Cons & Caveats

Benefits are not universal: minority men saw no major improvements
Healthier people may be more likely to choose self-employment in the first place
Self-employment can also bring stressors like financial instability, isolation, and inconsistent income
Research is associational, not causal: more long-term studies are needed

Benefits for Female Founders

The data tells a clear story:

Non-minority (white) women who were self-employed showed lower rates of obesity, less physical inactivity, and better sleep duration.
Women of color also benefited, particularly with improvements in diet quality, activity levels, and sleep.

Possible mechanisms: The idea is that self-employment gives more autonomy, more flexibility (scheduling, balancing home/work), maybe less exposure to certain workplace stressors or discrimination (though that depends on context). These could allow for healthier behaviors: more consistent sleep, more physical activity, better diet, etc. Put simply: women who work for themselves may be giving their hearts a healthier environment, even amid the daily grind of entrepreneurship.

A Mixed Bag for Men

The story isn’t as straightforward for men:

Non-minority men saw some benefits, better diet and less hypertension, when self-employed.
Minority men, however, didn’t see the same positive associations. In fact, their risk profiles looked much the same as their employed peers.

This gap points to broader structural and social challenges that self-employment alone doesn’t erase.

Why Might Self-Employment Be a Benefit to Your Health?

Researchers suggest that autonomy and flexibility play a role. Being self-employed often means:

More control over scheduling
The ability to prioritize rest and exercise
Less exposure to certain workplace stressors or discrimination

Of course, not every freelancer or founder experiences it that way — but for many women, that freedom may translate into better long-term health habits.

Important Caveats

Before you quit your job and print business cards, here’s what the researchers stressed:

These are associations, not proof of cause and effect. Healthier people might also be more likely to pursue self-employment in the first place.
Factors like income, industry, and whether self-employment was a choice or a necessity all matter.
The category “minority” combines many groups, and future studies need to look more closely at these differences.

What It Means for All of Us

Even if self-employment isn’t in your future, this research is a reminder that:

Flexibility matters. Employers could promote health by giving employees more autonomy.
Equity matters. Not everyone reaps the same benefits and policies must reflect that.
Lifestyle still matters. Sleep, nutrition, and movement are crucial whether you’re your own boss or not.

Bottom Line

For women especially, being self-employed may bring professional freedom and as a result support better heart health. But the path isn’t equally protective for everyone, and more research is needed to understand why.

Either way, this study is a powerful reminder that the way we work directly affects the way we live — and even how long we live.

👉 Source: UCLA Health News Release | BMC Public Health Study

FAQ’s

Does being self-employed improve women’s heart health?

Yes. Research from UCLA Health and BMC Public Health found that self-employed women, particularly non-minority women, showed lower obesity rates, better sleep patterns, and higher physical activity compared to women employed by others.

Do self-employed men see the same heart health benefits?

Not as strongly. Non-minority men experienced some improvements, like better diet and lower hypertension risk. However, minority men did not show the same positive associations.

Why might self-employment benefit heart health?

Self-employment often provides greater autonomy and flexibility. That can reduce workplace stress and allow for healthier behaviors such as consistent sleep, balanced diet, and more opportunities for physical activity.

Is self-employment the direct cause of better health?

Not necessarily. These studies are cross-sectional, which means they show associations rather than cause-and-effect. It’s possible that healthier individuals are also more likely to choose self-employment.

What should readers take away from this research?

Work flexibility, autonomy, and balance matter for health whether you’re self-employed or not. Women may benefit most from self-employment, but structural inequities mean not all groups share the same advantages.

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