The next time your boss asks you to work a string of 12 hour days, you might want to tell him the old ticker can't take it!
A new study by Finnish researchers found that working long hours increases your risk of dying from heart disease and heart attack. People who work three or more hours of OT a day have a 60 percent increased risk of cardiac problems, according to the study.
The study included data from more than 6,000 British men and women. Over 11 years, 369 of them died from heart disease or had heart attacks. Researchers looked at nearly two dozen risk factors including age, sex, marital status and occupational level. They found participants who worked three to four hours of overtime each day increased their risk for heart disease by 60 percent. One to two hours of OT had no significant effect, nor did the other factors.
"We do not yet know how long exposure is needed before cardiovascular health is affected," said study author Marianna Virtanen, epidemiologist at the Finnish Institute of Occupationa health in Helsinki. "Short periods of overtime work are not necessarily dangerous to health."
Researchers are not sure yet why OT increases heart disease risk, but they say most uber-workers are type A personalities who are also more competitive, tense, time-conscious and aggressive.
"Mechanisms that relate to this risk may be unhealthy lifestyle, stress, depression and lack of sleep," she said. "People who work long hours may also be those who ignore their early symptoms and are less likely to go to physical health check-ups."
Chronic stress may also play a role.
Related:
Migraines May Double Risk of Heart Attack
5 Health Warning Signs No Woman Should Ignore
5 Reasons Moms Make the Best Employees
$49 for $330 Dental Cleaning
