Overwork increases risk of heart disease

The study of over 6,000 British civil servants found that those who worked 10 or more hours a day had a 60 per cent higher risk of heart-related problems — such as death due to heart disease or a non-fatal heart attack — than those who didn’t work overtime.

The results derived after accounting for known heart risk factors such as smoking, being overweight, or having high cholesterol, the BBC reported.

During the study, which was carried out for nearly 12 years, researchers led by Marianna Virtanen of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in Helsinki found there were 369 cases where people suffered heart disease that caused death, had a heart attack or developed angina.

And the number of hours spent working overtime appeared to be strongly linked in many cases, according to a study.

The researchers said there could be a number of explanations for this. Those who suffered heart disease might be more stressed, anxious or have depression. A career-minded person will also tend to be a “Type A” personality who is highly driven, aggressive or irritable, they said.

“Employees who work overtime may also be likely to work while ill - that is, be reluctant to be absent from work despite illness,” they said, adding that their findings highlight the need for maintaining a balance between life and work.