Working overtime has become increasingly common in recent years, with many people feeling the need to work longer hours to stay on top of their workload.

However, new research has revealed that working overtime could increase your risk of stroke and infarction. In this article, we will explore the findings of this study and what they mean for those who work long hours.

What are stroke and infarction?

Before we delve into the specifics of the study, it’s important to understand what stroke and infarction are.

Stroke occurs when there is a disruption of blood flow to the brain, while an infarction refers to the death of tissue due to a lack of blood supply. Both can be caused by a range of factors, including high blood pressure, smoking and high cholesterol.

The study

The study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Paris, analyzed data from over 500,000 people who were followed for a period of 7 years.

The participants were categorized based on their working hours, with those who worked more than 10 hours a day classified as working overtime.

The results of the study showed that those who worked overtime had a significantly increased risk of both stroke and infarction.

Specifically, those who worked overtime had a 29% increased risk of stroke and a 21% increased risk of infarction compared to those who worked a standard 7-8 hour day.

Possible causes

So, why exactly does working overtime increase the risk of stroke and infarction? The researchers suggest that it could be due to a range of factors.

Firstly, working long hours can lead to increased stress levels, which in turn can lead to a range of health problems including high blood pressure and heart disease.

Secondly, working overtime often means sacrificing time that could be spent on exercise and other healthy habits. When people are working long hours, they are often too tired or do not have the time to exercise regularly.

This can lead to obesity and other health problems that can increase the risk of stroke and infarction.

What can be done?

If you are someone who works long hours, it’s understandable that you may feel concerned after reading the results of this study. However, there are steps that you can take to help mitigate your risk.

Firstly, it’s important to make sure that you are taking regular breaks throughout the day, even if they are short breaks.

It’s also important to prioritize exercise and other healthy habits. This could mean waking up earlier to fit in a workout before work or finding other ways to be active throughout the day.

Additionally, if you are experiencing high stress levels at work, it may be worth considering speaking to a healthcare professional to help manage your stress levels.

Conclusion

The findings of this study highlight the importance of taking care of your health while working long hours. By prioritizing regular breaks and healthy habits, you can help mitigate your risk of stroke and infarction.

If you are experiencing high levels of stress, it’s important to seek professional help to manage your stress and prevent it from negatively impacting your health.