Hard work REALLY could kill you! Just ONE hour of overtime a week 'increases your risk of heart disease’

Hard work REALLY could kill you! Just ONE hour of overtime a week 'increases your risk of heart disease’

It is an all too common occurrence for many of us - clocking up extra hours at your desk each day.

But while the dedicated among us may not mind the longer working week, scientists have warned it may be damaging to a person's health. 

Working more than 45 hours each week, over the course of a decade, raises the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease, experts from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston said.

And, the risk increases for every additional hour worked per week. 

Study author Dr Sadie Conway, an assistant professor of epidemiology, said: 'In general, we found that the risk of [cardiovascular disease] increased as the average weekly working hours increased, above a certain threshold.'

The team of scientists found that, among full-time workers, the risk of heart disease was lowest in those who worked between 40 and 45 hours each week.

The findings stem from an analysis of data on more than 1,900 participants in a long-term follow-up study of work and health. 

Each of the participants had been employed for at least 10 years. 

Scientists analyzed the relationship between work hours and cardiovascular disease in the participants.