A study of more than 85 500 British and Scandinavian people found those who worked long hours were far more likely to develop atrial fibrillation over the next decade.

The findings, published in the European Heart Journal, revealed that for every 1 000 people in the study, an extra 5.2 cases of atrial fibrillation occurred among those working long hours.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disturbance, affecting around one million people in developed countries in Europe, and can lead to stroke, heart failure and dementia.

According to study leader Professor Mika Kivimaki of the University College London, these findings show that long working hours are associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. This could be one of the mechanisms that explain the previously observed increased risk of stroke among those working long hours.

Atrial fibrillation is known to contribute to the development of stroke, but also other adverse health outcomes, such as heart failure and stroke-related dementia.

The team found 1 061 new cases of atrial fibrillation occurred during the study – an incidence rate of 12.4 per 1 000 people.

But among the 4 484 people working over 55 hours the incidence was 17.6 per 1 000.

The findings show that those who worked long hours had a 1.4 times higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation, even after the researchers had adjusted for factors that could affect the risk, such as age, sex, socio-economic status, obesity, leisure time physical activity, smoking and risky alcohol use. Nine out of 10 of the atrial fibrillation cases occurred in people who were free of pre-existing or concurrent cardiovascular disease. People who work such long hours are 40 per cent more likely to suffer an irregular heartbeat than those who work a normal working week of 35 to 40 hours.
Here are some tips to embark on a heart-healthy lifestyle:

Get active. Take a break from work at least once in two hours and walk, even if just running up the stairs to the next floor.

Quit smoking.

Manage your weight.

Eat more fibre.

Cut down on saturated fat.

Choose leaner cuts of meat and lower-fat dairy products.

Cut down on salt.

Eat more fish such as mackerel, sardines, fresh tuna and salmon which are sources of omega-3 fats, which can help protect against heart disease.

Drink less alcohol.

See your doctor for an annual check-up.