A study published in the Lancet medical journal reveals that working for long hours can result to stroke. Working beyond the traditional timeframe 9am to 5pm can increase the chance of stroke.
According to the analysis made from more than 500 thousand people, those who spend 55 hours or more per week completing their tasks in their workplace have higher risk of the brain attack compared to those who only work 35 hours to 40 hours per week.
Data showed that a 10% increase in risk will be experienced by individuals who work 48 hours per week. Those who spend 54 hours are prone to stroke by 27% while those who work for more than 55 hours have risk increase by 33%.
Besides stroke, the said group of people are also at risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) but at lesser extent compared to stroke. They should always monitor their blood pressure to keep themselves safe. The authors concluded that people should pay more attention to their vascular health if they work for long hours.
A professor from the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London - Mika Kivimäki, PhD stated that the study gave useful results that will serve as a warning to hardworking individuals.
"Our study is important because it shows, for the first time, that individuals who work long hours may be at an increased risk of stroke," the professor said.
In the study, five strokes per 1,000 employees per decade were recorded from the 35-40 hour group while six strokes per 1,000 employees were noted from those individuals working for 55 hours or more.
The researchers still did not found the link between stroke and working hours but they are considering the theory that stressful jobs can affect peoples' lifestyle. Dr Kivimaki also said that it is still early to make conclusions.
Researchers note that poor health and too much coffee while in the office are also contributing factors for the increased risk.
