Say No to OverTime

Putting in more than 10 hours of work a day can increase the risk of Heart attack and other heart problems. A 11 year study of 6,014 British cicil servants, aged 39 to 61, found that even after accounting for known heart risk factors like smoking, those who worked as little as three to four hours extra each day ran a 60% higher risk of heart-related problems such as dying from heart disease, non-fatal heart attacks and angina. The normal working day consists of a 7 hours. Working an hour or two extra did not add to the risk, says a study by the European Heart Journal.

Some part of this higher risk may be related to "type A" behavior patterns, also known as a risk factor for heart disease. The career minded among us tend to have this same "type A" personality - highly driven, irritable or aggressive - good for your career but not so for your heart. And you can't live without a healthy heart. They may show signs of depression, anxiety, chronic stress and may be sleep deprived.

People working over time are also more likely to work while ill, ignore symptoms of ill health and not see medical help. In spite of clocking long hours, it is also possible that people who have more freedom over work related decisions may have a lower risk of heart disease.

The good news is that you can make changes to allow you to do well at work, but not at the cost of your health.

If you're not sure how much time you're really putting in at work, there are online calculators that help you find out just how many hours you're spending in the office and at home. Once you see where you stand, where the time really goes, you can make changes as needed. Even if you can't take advantage of flex-time or telecommuting, do what you can to manage stress (deep breathing, short meditation, positive imaging) on the job, during the day.

You'll also want to make changes in your thought patterns - less negative and self destructive and more positive and encouraging to yourself.

Make a conscious choice to slow down, be less driven and then stick to it. You'll be amazed at the results. Establishing a balance between your work life and the rest of your life is key to keeping your body (and your heart) healthy.

Here are some suggestions that might help:

• Take a brisk walk during lunch or a break in your day.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Park your car at the far end of the parking lot, so your walk to the door is longer.
• Choose healthy foods, like fruit, instead of fat and calories laden choices. Eat well-balanced meals overall (low in fat/cholesterol), plus several servings of fruits/veggies a day.
• Manage stress - Do meditation, yoga or exercise. You can also play with your kids, if you have one.
• Don't smoke, or if you do, work on quitting or cutting down.

While more research is needed before overtime work can be linked to heart disease, as the reasons for the increased risk is still unclear.