Heart disease linked to ‘overtime’

Working overtime increases the risk of heart disease by up to 80%, a major study has revealed.

Researchers say long working hours can be condemning thousands of employees – particularly those in the healthcare sector – to heart attacks and strokes.

The warning follows analysis of 12 studies dating back as far as 1958, involving a total of 22,000 people from around the world.

The analysis, by scientists at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, finds those whose working days are longer than the traditional eight hours have a 40 -80% greater chance of heart disease.

The size of the increase varies depending on how each study is carried out. The effects are more pronounced when participants are asked how long they work for – but when researchers closely monitor working hours, the increased risk of heart disease is closer to 40%.

Lead researcher, Dr Marianna Virtanen, says the effects may be due to ‘prolonged exposure to stress’.

Other triggers could be poor eating habits and lack of exercise due to restricted leisure time.

In 2009, the same team discovered long working hours increased the risk of dementia later in life.

Did you know… Britons work some of the longest hours in Europe, with full-time employees averaging 42.7 hours a week. Those in Germany typically work for 42 hours, while Danes often complete 39.1 hours. How many hours do you work each week?