Too much work is bad for your health

Should Canadians, who work the fourth-longest hours in the world, be on the lookout for heart attacks?
Yes, according to a University College London team of researchers, who found that people who work more than 11 hours a day were significantly more likely to have heart attacks, compared to those who work a regular nine to five job. The study looked at the working hours of some 7,095 adults without previous health problems, and the results are conclusive: the risk of cardiovascular disease increased by 67% for those who worked the most.

Prevent rather than cure 

The purpose of the study was to participate in the prevention of heart disease, by confirming the hypothesis of factors not always suspected by individuals or health professionals.
The first who should concern themselves with these findings are companies, which can inform their employees about the risks and initiate change by adopting a few simple measures. These include paying attention to agendas and hours worked, building awareness in order to promote individual accountability, encouraging regular medical check-ups, allowing greater flexibility, not approving too much overtime and observing breaks and holidays. Such measures are not too difficult to implement, and could well save lives.