Apollo doctor sounds alarm amid L&T chairman’s push for 90-hour work week: ’Long hours’ linked to heart disease
Working 90 hours weekly, as suggested by L&T's chairman, poses severe health risks as explained by Apollo doctor. Chronic long hours can lead to stress, heart disease and diabetes.
L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan's 90-hour work week proposal has raised concerns over health of the workforce. Apollo doctor clarified how long working hours adversely affect the human body. Suggesting that the sophisticated human body needs maintenance and care to keep running, he noted the possibility and increased risk of heart ailments.
How 90-hour work week affects heart health?
Delhi's Indraprastha Apollo Hospital doctor, Mukesh Goel explained that chronic high blood pressure is a key risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure. Long work hours work as trigger agents for high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels and thus make the person susceptible to heart diseases.
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“Long hours lead to chronic stress, which triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Over time, elevated cortisol levels can increase blood pressure and heart rate, both of which raise the risk of heart disease," Indian Express quoted cardiothoracic and heart and lung transplant surgeon as saying.
According to study published by World Health Organisation (WHO), employees working 55 or more hours per week are at a heightened 35 percent risk of stroke and the risk of dying from heart disease increases by 17 per cent. Elaborating on the case, Mukesh Goel said, "Working 55 or more hours a week is associated with a higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease,” Indian Express reported.
Notably, 90 hours work week implies 13 hours a day, which can have severe consequences for both physical and mental health. Endocrinologist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Saptarshi Bhattacharya noted, “During long hours at work, people tend to skip meals, which can cause your blood sugar to fluctuate."
The Endocrinologist asserted that persistent high cortisol can contribute to insulin resistance as stress hormones like cortisol change the body’s ability to break down sugar. Thus, increasing the risk of diabetes. Furthermore, long work hours can aggravate the existing health burdens faced by many Indians who are already at higher risks of chronic illnesses.
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Business NewsNewsApollo doctor sounds alarm amid L&T chairman’s push for 90-hour work week: ’Long hours’ linked to heart disease
First Published:10 Jan 2025, 08:26 PM IST
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