Working 55+ hours a week is more harmful than you think

Numerous studies have produced findings that point to alarming correlations between working long hours and health problems, according to The Washington Post.

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Here are four things to know about the risks of working lengthy hours.

1. A Gallup study last year found the average American works 47 hours per week.

2. Those who work more than 55 hours a week have a 33 percent higher risk of stroke than those working 35 to 40 hours each week, and a 13 percent increased risk of coronary heart disease, according to a study published in the British journal The Lancet.

3. Other studies have linked long workweeks to increased risks of depression, Type 2 diabetes and sleep disturbances.

4. Working long hours also affects cognitive function. A study from Stanford found productivity decreases at around 50 hours a week and plummets at 55 hours a week. No difference in output was found between those who worked 70 versus 56 hours a week.

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