A new study has revealed that millions of workers who put in lots of overtime hours may be at a much higher risk for stroke.
Study author Mika Kivimaki, a professor of epidemiology at University College London said: “Working long hours is associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke, and perhaps also coronary heart disease,” he said in a news release from The Lancet.
While the research couldn’t show cause and effect, one expert said that today’s beleaguered workers should seek ways to curtail the risk.
Dr. Paul Wright, chair of neurology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. said: “The take-home message for all the workers burning the midnight oil: Make time for physical activity, ensure a proper diet, watch your alcohol consumption and ensure good sleeping habits.” He added: “If you are not feeling well or if something does not feel right, see your physician.”
In the research, Kivimaki looked at data from 25 studies that included more than 600,000 men and women in the Europe, Australia and the United States. Participants’ health outcomes were followed for an average of 8.5 years. The study revealed that people who worked 55 hours or more per week were 13 percent more likely to develop heart disease than those who worked the standard 35 to 40 hours a week.
A second examination of data from 17 studies included nearly 529,000 men and women who were monitored for an average of more than seven years. It revealed that those who worked 55 hours or more a week were one-third more likely to suffer a stroke than those who worked the average 40 hour shift.
In essence, the longer hours people worked, the higher their stroke risk. Compared to those who worked an average number of hours per week, the risk of stroke was 10 percent higher among those who worked 41 to 48 hours and 27 percent higher among those who worked 49 to 54 hours.
Dr Wright said: “While many individuals may not be able to decrease their work hours, we need to start to change society’s mind-set and educate the public that physical activity must be a part of the equation for successful aging and disease prevention.”
