Burning the midnight oil? You’ll probably follow that up with a nightcap. Or two.
According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, people who work long hours also tend to drink more than those with less strenuous schedules. According to the researchers:
“In a cross sectional analysis of 333,693 people in 14 countries, they found that longer working hours increased the likelihood of higher alcohol use by 11%. A prospective analysis found a similar increase in risk of 12% for onset of risky alcohol use in 100,602 people from 9 countries. Individual participant data from 18 prospective studies showed that those who worked 49-54 hours and 55 hours per week or more were found to have an increased risk of 13% and 12% respectively of risky alcohol consumption compared with those who worked 35-40 hours per week.”
This is bad news for Canadians, given that two-thirds of us are working more than 45 hours per week. Fortunately, we have a strategy: only buy really, really expensive alcohol. That way, you won’t be tempted too often.
