DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — No one likes working long hours, but doctors warn people who do it enough could die younger than their peers.
The World Health Organization released a report last week linking working more than 55 hours each week to an increased risk of stroke or ischemic heart disease. Men and older patients were most affected.
WAND News reached out to a local cardiologist with HSHS St. Mary's Hospital in Decatur to get his take on why that may be. Dr. Amit Dande said there are three factors that could be behind that increase in risk.
"We have found lately that stress — in particular mental stress — is a big risk factor for heart disease," Dande said. "You can imagine that people working long hours are under more stress. It also takes time away from other healthy activities they can do such as exercise...The other thing to think about is it may go along with poor eating habits."
Dande added that sleep is a critical fourth factor to that equations. Adults should get between six to eight hours of restful sleep each night.
