Working for long hours could result in increased chances of stroke

Working long hours is something that almost everyone in today’s world does, be it for extra money or to impress your boss, everyone has done it at one time or other. Well, according to a new study, working long hours can significantly increase your risk of suffering a stroke or developing heart diseases. The study has indicated that working 55 hours or more per week, rather than the traditional 9 am to 5 pm is linked to a 33 percent greater risk of stroke. Working for long hours takes toll on your body, and may cause irreversible damage. With the increased amount of work in the offices people usually have to work for more than the regular time and they end up doing so by putting their health on the line. The study also suggested that spending long hours in the office or working overtime can increase your chance of developing coronary heart diseases by 13 per cent. The experts have advised the people who work long hours to monitor their blood pressure to avoid potential health problems in the future. Another thing that can be considered to be responsible for this is stress as extra stress is sure to cause health problems for you. For the study to be elaborate the researchers from the University College London reviewed 42 studies of more than half a million men and women from Europe, US and Australia for several years and the findings were published in the medical Journal the Lancet. Ana Palazon, who is the director of Stroke Association in Wales, said,” It is difficult to establish what may cause this link between working long hours and stroke risk.

Nevertheless, the findings of the study underline how important it is to look after your health to prevent a stroke. This includes taking regular exercise and eating a healthy and balanced diet. Working long hours can involve sitting for longer periods of time and experiencing stress, as well as leaving less time for people to look after themselves.”

The study revealed that those who were working between 41 to 48 hours had a 10 per cent higher risk of stroke and those working 49 to 54 hours had a 27 per cent higher risk of stroke. However, other professionals believe that there might not be a direct link between working for long hours and increased risk of stroke as the study does not prove that, but it’s still debatable.