How does too much work lead to AFIB?
- Not enough sleep
- Not enough exercise
- Eating out too much
- Alcohol to relax after long day at work
- Stress
However a recent study in the European Heart Journal showed that working long hours was an independent risk factor for AFIB.
The authors state “Although the 2016 European Guidelines for cardiovascular disease prevention acknowledges psychosocial stress at work as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease, citing evidence that show long working hours to be associated with increased stroke risk, little is known about the role of long working hours as a potential risk factor of atrial fibrillation. In principle, stress and long working hours may enhance functional re-entry, repetitive pulmonary vein and atrial firing, and autonomic nervous system abnormalities, inducing arrhythmia vulnerability. Thus, some studies have found that stress and ‘exhaustion’ predict symptomatic atrial fibrillation.”
85,000 men & women, in their 40s, with no prior AFIB were observed. Standard work week (35-40 hrs) vs work week >55 hrs was compared.
Working >55 hrs/week increased risk of atrial fibrillation by 41%.
Among people working a standard week, 12.4 out of every 1,000 developed atrial fibrillation. When people worked at least 55 hours, 17.6 out of every 1,000 got this diagnosis.
This graph shows that working >55 hours per week is as bad as following factors in terms of risk of developing AFIB:
- drinking >3 alcoholic drinks/day
- having a heart attack
- having heart failure
Night shift work may also contribute to metabolic disease. In the Nurses Health Study, night shift work increased risk of stroke by 4% every 5 years. This stroke risk may be related to increased atrial fibrillation.
The Japanese die from overwork – they call it Karoshi.
Americans die from overwork – we call it the search for happiness. 🙁 Some people call it striving for success.
I will leave you with my favorite joke about success (R rated):
THE LADDER TO SUCCESS
A man who has just died finds himself standing at the gates of Heaven. To his right he sees an attractive woman, and to his left is a ladder. The woman says, “Come with me through the gate and spend eternity with me, or climb the ladder to success.” The man, always eager to get ahead in life, chooses to climb the ladder.
The man finds an even more beautiful woman standing in front of another gate. Next to her is another ladder. The woman says, “Come with me through the gate and all your fantasies will be granted, or climb the ladder to success.” This time the man is tempted, but his greed takes over and he climbs the ladder higher.
He again encounters a woman. This woman, however; is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. She says, “come with me and I will satisfy your deepest desires forever, or climb the ladder to success.” The man can’t believe his luck. He decides to take his chances and climbs the ladder. He comes to another gate. This time there is no woman waiting for him, but a fat, balding, sweaty man instead.
“Are you God?” the man asks. “No,” the sweaty man replies. “I’m Cess.”