The likelihood of suffering a stroke could increase when people work longer hours, preliminary research has found.
Researchers at University College, London, looked into the effects that working longer hours per day can have on health, particularly in regards to stress.
It was found that those who forego the usual nine to five, 35 hours a week and have to do longer shifts of 48 hours were up to ten per cent more likely to suffer from stroke at some point.
A 54 hour week would see an increase in risk of 27 per cent, and a 55 hour week would push this up to 33 per cent.
Dr Mika Kivimaki from the University College London drew a hypothesis between the stress of working longer hours and a person’s increased susceptibility to having a stroke.
He added: “People need to be extra careful that they still maintain a healthy lifestyle and ensure their blood pressure does not increase.”
Of course, stress management courses and stress reduction techniques can greatly help to reduce a lot of negative health issues associated with stress. Mindfulness, meditation, and breathing exercises can greatly help to reduce stress and the effect that it can have on your body.