Being tired from work is a pretty sweet trump card. A long day at work is a free pass to work out the most comfortable position on the couch.
But a new study of more than 5,000 Danish men over thirty years found that men who put in extra hours at the job—but not at the gym—may double their chances of dying from heart disease once middle age creeps around. Research showed that unfit men ages 40-59 who work more than forty-five hours a week are twice as likely to die from heart complications as those who spend less time at their jobs. (This holds true no matter how physically demanding the job.)
“We already know that working long hours can increase blood pressure, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease,” said cardiac specialist Cathy Ross. “Being physically active helps to control your blood pressure, and previous studies have shown that being physically fit can help you cope with the demands of long hours, physically demanding jobs, and shift work.“
The moral of this story? Don’t work so hard, and get to the gym at least three times a week (thirty minutes a pop.) It’s probably a welcome break from work, and it also prevents the following from happening: