How do you cope with a job you don't like?

Here’s what Ohio State researchers taught us recently: People who are unhappy in their jobs in their late 20s and 30s are likely to feel the health effects in their 40s.

Those people reported more depression, sleep problems and excessive worry.

What to do if you’re stuck in a lousy job and quitting really isn’t an option?

We reached out to mental health experts at Ohio State Total Health & Wellness, a nurse practitioner-led primary care facility at Ohio State University Hospital East, for advice. Teresa Smith, a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, shared her recommendations for how to cope with a lousy job:

First and foremost, talk to somebody who gets what you’re going through

Find somebody who will be supportive and understanding. That person could be a family member, friend, church colleague or even a complete stranger. Some workplaces offer an employee assistance program to help you work through your concerns.

Take breaks during the workday

Don’t work through meals because you’re more likely to get shaky and irritable, making things worse. Get out of your work environment, whether you take a stroll down a hallway or walk around the block. A good dose of sunshine and fresh air can do wonders for the spirit.

Make your immediate work environment more personal and friendly

Bring in what Smith calls pleasantries, such as a candy jar or an orange that fills your work area with its nice scent when peeled. Bring in plants, pictures and personal items, if they’re allowed.

“Try to bring some type of joy into your work atmosphere to counter that attitude of drudgery,” Smith says.

Unplug when you get home

Seriously – do it, even if it’s only for a short while. You need time to unwind and focus on yourself or your family.

“Shutting off social media keeps you in the present and allows you to give undivided attention to your loved ones and yourself,” Smith says.

Don’t bottle up your feelings

It’s important to not keep everything inside. “If you live in a vacuum and isolate yourself, that’s when the mental illness starts to creep in,” Smith says.

Consider a compromise to be able to change jobs or even careers

Evaluate your options and don’t forget to calculate the mental and physical strains of your job.

“If you hear yourself saying ‘I can’t wait for this day to be over’ all the time, you’ll always be in anticipatory mode,” Smith says.

“You may end up feeling like you rushed your life away because you were always in a rush for the workday to end instead of enjoying the moment.”

Many people spend more time with their co-workers than with their family and friends.

And if you have a job that you can’t wait to escape from every day, both your physical and mental health could be at risk.

That’s according to a study by Ohio State University sociology researchers.

Their findings: The health effects that people felt in their 40s from stressful jobs earlier in life could lead to cardiovascular problems or other serious medical conditions that don’t show up until later in life.

But there’s good news. The study shows that those whose job satisfaction started low but got better over time didn’t have as many health problems.

So there’s hope if you think your job might improve, whether it’s from a troublesome co-worker leaving or you getting a different position.