As the year comes to an end, many people across the nation are taking a break from work until 2016. However, there is a multitude of people who will have to continue to work throughout the holiday season. Although it isn’t necessary to take a break between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, it is necessary to find time to get away from the day-to-day hustle that comes with a job.
There is strong evidence that reveals working too many hours can lead to health problems and even death.
In 2013, we published a story on Mita Diran. Diran was a copywriter at an ad agency called Y&R in Jakarta, Indonesia. She used social media as a way to detail her long work hours. She would often drink several energy drinks to stay awake during her long shifts. Diana tweeted about working a full week and getting off at 2 a.m. and eating junk food with co-workers. One tweet even detailed how she had worked 30 hours straight. Eventually, Diran, who was in her 20s, went into a coma after working three days straight and died.
But Diran’s story isn’t unique. In fact, a study by University College London revealed a correlation between working long hours and increasing the risk of a stroke and heart disease. The study found that working more than 55 hours per week increases the chances for a stroke by 33 percent. Moreover, it increased the chances of coronary heart disease by 13 percent. Other factors such as the workplace environment could help or harm your health.
The results prove that rest and relaxation are key to health and allow workers to be more productive after a break. If you’re fortunate enough to be able to take time off during the holidays, be sure to relax and try not to overextend yourself. And if you must work during the holidays, be sure to schedule time off in the near future. Your body will thank you for it later.
