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Do you frequently clock in long hours in the office to get more work done? If you answered yes, you may want to rethink this habit. In a 2019 French study, researchers revealed that people who worked long hours for less than 10 years had a 29% higher stroke risk. In those who worked long hours for more than 10 years, the risk was 45% higher. Dr. Alexis Descatha, one of the study’s authors, tells the BBC:
“The association between 10 years of long work hours and stroke seemed stronger for people under the age of 50. This was unexpected. Further research is needed to explore this finding. As a clinician, I will advise my patients to work more efficiently and I plan to follow my own advice."
The fact is Americans work very long hours, spending at least 47 hours at work each week. That’s a lot, especially if you compare it to British and French employees who only clock in 37.5 and 35 hours weekly, respectively. Hence, it’s not surprising that stroke continues to be a pervasive health issue in the U.S. An estimated 795,000 stroke cases occur annually, causing at least 142,000 deaths. Alarmingly, more and more young people suffer from stroke, as 10% of cases occur in those under 50 years old.
But stroke is just one of the issues that working overtime brings. Constantly spending long hours in the workplace can also increase your risk for weight gain, cigarette use, alcohol intake and mental health problems. It can also lead to inconsistent sleeping hours and sleep loss. All of these can put a significant strain on your well-being.
So, if you’re among those who work long hours, stop the habit and start managing your work hours. Other lifestyle tweaks that can help you avoid a stroke — and boost your health in general — include:
- Consuming real foods — Eating unprocessed or minimally processed, nutrient-rich whole foods may help protect your heart and cardiovascular system by lessening the amount of toxins and synthetic ingredients that make their way into your body.
- Eating probiotic-rich foods — Probiotics or good bacteria have shown immense potential in reducing high blood pressure levels, a known risk factor of stroke and heart attack.
- Boosting fiber intake — Increasing your daily fiber intake may help lower your stroke risk. Ideally, consume 25 to 50 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories every day.
- Exercising regularly — Make an effort to stand up and walk more often during your workday, and try to do heart-boosting strength training exercises.
- Optimizing vitamin D levels — Vitamin D deficiency can make you more prone to stroke, so try to maintain a healthy level between 60 and 80 ng/mL (150 and 200 nmol/L) year-round, from sensible sun exposure or oral vitamin D3 supplementation, or both.
Exerting maximum effort at work is commendable. But if it makes you more prone to health problems like a stroke, you may need to evaluate your work habits and look for ways to increase your productivity without putting your life on the line.