Long hours at work can leave you feeling stressed and exhausted, but they may also be affecting your heart health. According to a new study, employees who work more than 55 hours per week may be at a greater risk of developing an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation or A-fib.
In a study on nearly 85,500 middle-aged men and women from the UK, Denmark, and Sweden, researchers found that racking up more than 55 hours a week was associated with a 40 percent increased risk of getting A-fib over the following 10 years, compared to those who worked the standard 35 to 40 hour work week.
But before you worry that your work schedule may affect your heart, it’s important to note that a young, healthy person who works long hours has very little risk of developing A-fib. It’s more hazardous to those who already have a high risk of heart disease because of factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, or diabetes, he points out.
I – Word Understanding
Atrial fibrillation – rapid, irregular beating of heart
Racking up – spending/making (time for work)
II – Have Your Say
1. What is your average working hour per week? What is your ideal number of working hour per week?
2. Karoshi is currently an issue in Japan. The major medical causes of karōshi deaths are heart attack and stroke due to stress and a starvation diet. South Korea and China also has the same phenomenon. Why are people in these countries working so hard?
3. There several ways to keep our hearts healthy. How do you stay heart healthy?
625 Working More Than 55 Hours a Week Could Affect Heart Health
