PEOPLE who work longer hours drink more booze, a study reveals.
Workers putting in 49 or more hours in a week guzzle an extra pint or glass of wine, on average, compared with nine-to-fivers.
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World Health Organisation research found drinking starts to increase as soon as people work beyond the standard 40-hour week.
Study author Professor Lode Godderis, from KU Leuven in Belgium, said: “We know that having long working hours is stressful and that alcohol reduces stress.
“Having a drink can make you feel more relaxed and, after a week of long or hard work, you feel like you deserve a treat so we give ourselves a present.”
Data from 105,000 people found those who work 41 to 48 hours per week consume 10.4g more pure alcohol per week, on average, than those on a standard 35 to 40 hours.
This rises to 17.7g more than usual for people working 49 to 54 hours, which is around two whole units — equal to an extra pint of weak beer or small glass of wine.
NHS guidelines suggest people should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week — around 112g of pure alcohol.
Prof Goderris said working from home during Covid and taking extra jobs in the cash crunch mean growing numbers of people work longer-than-average weeks.
This could lead to more people drinking and harming their health, he warned.