The more hours you work, the more likely you are to drink at dangerous levels, a new study has proven. The report, first published in the British Medical Journal (the BMJ), examined the drinking behaviors of people who work more than 48 hours per week across all socioeconomic levels and other factors. Those who work long hours engage in what the researchers termed “risky drinking levels”: 14 drinks per week per women and 21 drinks per week per men.The findings remained stagnant across 300,000 participants, despite a variety of factors:
“There was no difference in these associations between men and women or by age or socioeconomic groups, geographical regions, sample type (population based voccupational cohort), prevalence of risky alcohol use in the cohort, or sample attrition rate.”
In other words, there appeals to be a correlation primarily between excess of hours worked and riskier drinking levels.We already know how alcohol affects sleep (hint: negatively) and can actually cause insomnia over time. But researchers suggest there may be a larger public health problem at play here: stress. As Time points out, enacting labor laws may be a long way away in the United States. Regardless, how many long, late hours you’re going to work is always something to consider before taking on a demanding job.Related Articles:How to Navigate a Holiday Party Without Drinking14 Surprising Alcohol Facts in One Sentence Each
