New research has shown that working 55 hours or more per week is linked to a one third greater risk of stroke compared to a 35-40 hour work week.
The study published in The Lancet, found that those working between 41 and 48 hours had a 10 per cent higher risk, while for those working 49 to 54 hours, the risk jumped by 27 per cent.
Working 55 hours or more a week increased the risk of having a stroke by 33 per cent.
In a statement, Mika Kivimaki, a professor of epidemiology at University College London said “The pooling of all available studies on this topic allowed us to investigate the association between working hours and cardiovascular disease risk with greater precision than has previously been possible.
“Health professionals should be aware that working long hours is associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke, and perhaps also coronary heart disease.”