If you need a vacation from your job, you may want to consider booking a ticket this week as a new study has linked working longer hours to an increased risk of stroke and heart disease. Working even as a little as one extra hour a day ups a person’s chance of suffering a stroke, so cash in your vacation time now to keep yourself healthy.
Longer Hours Increases Risks of Stroke and Heart Disease
The study findings revealed people working between 41 to 48 hours a week had a 10 percent higher chance of having a stroke. Workers falling in the 49 to 54 hour range upped their chances by 27 percent. Most frighteningly of all, those putting in over 55 hours a week showed a 33 percent higher risk of suffering a stroke.
All in all, the study analyzed over 600,000 people from 25 studies based in Europe, the United States and Australia for an average of 8.5 years.
One of the main authors, Professor Mika Kivimäki of the University College London said that health professionals should be made aware of the increased risk of stroke and heart disease, especially considering they work the longest hours.
But what exactly is to blame when it comes to working longer hours and our risk of developing deadly health conditions?
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Risky Health Behaviors Associated with Longer Hours of Work
The main culprit behind the increased health risk appears to be how stress affects your body over longer periods of time. But there are other factors in the elevated risks of health complications, too.
Though the stress of longer hours at work could be linked to poor health cardiovascular health, the researchers in the study could not prove definitively that it is the only cause of more health risks. The researchers took into account other factors associated with high stress jobs that involve longer hours. These factors include smoking and drinking as well as lower physical activity levels, all of which put the hard worker at a higher chance of developing cardiovascular disease or having a stroke.
Study Says Even Occasional Longer Hours Ups Health Risks
Many studies have shown the negative side of working longer hours as seen in adverse health conditions, including higher blood pressure and women taking a longer time to conceive.
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There are certain things high-stress job workers can do to help ameliorate and combat the stresses of their workdays. Most doctors would urge these workers to get up and move. Nutritionists would add that perhaps a change of diet would alleviate stress. Even changing the work environment may be helpful for workaholics who need to stay in their zen zones to reduce their chances of stroke and heart disease.
Still, if you work hard for the money, you may want find a way to cut down on the longer hours for the sake of your health.
Title Picture Credit to Mike McCune
Additional Image Credits to Richard Pflaume
Bring this to your work place for the added benefits for sunlight:
