Research has indicated that individuals that work 55 hours or more per week are about 33 percent more likely to have a stroke than the average person. Over 600,000 people were observed for this study, as reported by The Lancet. The study also pointed out that there was a slightly elevated risk for those that worked 41-48 hours per week (10 percent), as well as those that worked 49-54 hours per week (27 percent). The study was actually a combination of many different studies, and has afforded a more accurate and comprehensive look at strokes and working hours than has ever been put together.
The reason why this is happening is not quite clear yet. Researchers suggested a higher degree of physical inactivity, more alcohol consumption, and more stress as the reasons why stroke frequency might be increased. These are just guesses though. The bottom line is that a correlation has been discovered and some people are more at risk for a stroke than others. Also consider the fact that obesity, smoking, and other factors can contribute to strokes, too. Age can also play a role in this.
The irony of this is the fact that many stroke survivors are cared for by a family caregiver, and because this caregiver sometimes has their own job to worry about on top of helping out, they end up working for more than 55 hours per week themselves. This underscores the need for a professional caregiver’s presence in your life. You may not need a caregiver all of the time, but having one as a respite caregiver once in a while can alleviate a lot of stress on your part. The problem appears to be cyclical if nothing is done. A family member suffers a stroke, and as a result, more care is needed. This often means a family member cares for them, spending many hours each week doing so. And that person caring for them eventually becomes at a higher risk of a stroke themselves. It’s unfortunate, and many people are unaware of the issue that is going on.
Finding a high quality professional caregiver can help reduce the chances of this happening to you. You may have an elderly family member that needs help around the house, and you might want to provide that help yourself, but hiring someone that does this for a living can be a much smarter choice. They will provide a higher level of assistance, and take the stress off of your family to do it themselves. Even if you enjoy caring for your loved ones, it can become more and more difficult over time. Having a pro that can do a better job in a tough situation helps out your family more over the long run. Whether you hire a caregiver for the times that you are away at work, just once in a while so that you can take a break or go out to dinner with a friend, having an in-home caregiver that you can use is going to help you out once in a while is going to benefit your entire family.
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