June 20 (UPI) -- With hard work comes more money, and also more health risks, according to researchers.
The risk of stroke increased by nearly 30 percent for people who worked longer than 10 hours per day for at least 50 days a year, according to research published Thursday in the journal Stroke. And risk jumped by 45 percent for people who worked long hours longer than 10 years.
"The association between 10 years of long work hours and stroke seemed stronger for people under the age of 50," Alexis Descatha, a researcher at Paris Hospital, Versailles and Angers University and study author, said in a news release. "This was unexpected. Further research is needed to explore this finding."
The researchers looked over data for more than 143,000 French citizens, between ages 18 and 69. They gathered information on the participants' cardiovascular risks, stroke history, smoking habits and the number of hours worked.
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In all, 1,224 study participants suffered strokes. The study didn't include part-time workers or people who had previously suffered strokes prior to working long hours.
The study's findings line up with a 2015 study published in The Lancet that showed a link between cardiovascular risk and working long hours. That study suggested stress triggers from working long hours, as well as relevant health risks, alcohol consumption, and physical activity, all may contribute to a higher stroke risk.
"I would also emphasize that many healthcare providers work much more than the definition of long working hours and may also be at higher risk of stroke," Descatha said. "As a clinician, I will advise my patients to work more efficiently and plan to follow my own advice."
