Those Extra Work Hours May take a Heavy Toll on Your Heart Health

A recent research has found that each extra worked hour may boost your risk of cardiovascular disease later on. Working long hours was associated with an increase in heart disease risk by 16 percent to 35 percent, the new study suggests.

The study involved over, 1,900 volunteers who were monitored over a long period. About 43 percent of participants had a cardiovascular condition including high blood pressure, angina, heart attack , stroke events, which tended to get worse as they spent more time at their workplace.

Those who had a full-time job saw a jump in their risk of cardiovascular disease of 1 percent for every extra hour they spend at work in a week over a decade or more. Those that worked 46 hours per week or more had an even higher risk.

But people who worked 55 hour every week and those that worked 60 hours had a 16 percent, respectively 35 percent higher risk of developing heart disease or stroke than workers who spent about 45 hours at work.

The research, which was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, found that part-time workers were not at risk.

Study authors acknowledged that their findings did not pinpoint a cause-and-effect association between long work hours and heart disease risk. But there is a significant association.

Researchers believe that firmer work schedule practices could prevent millions of working Americans from becoming ill. Sadie Conway, co-author of the study and researcher with the University of Texas Health Science Center, believes that the study results could pave way to new cardiovascular disease prevention practices.

According to CDC, there are simple ways to keep your heart healthy. For instance, a healthy diet is critical in preventing heart disease and complications. CDC researchers recommend plenty of fruits and veggies, while you should avoid saturated fat- and cholesterol-rich foods.

Plus, limiting salt intake is also a good idea to prevent high blood pressure.

Another way to stave off heart disease is to maintain a healthy body mass index and trim your excess body fat, if any. Additionally, make sure you don’t lead a sedentary life and exercise regularly. For adults, it is recommended to exercise for 2h and 30 minute on a weekly basis.

Also, try to quit smoking and alcohol. You should, nevertheless, seek your doctor for the best strategies to kick the bad habits.
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