People who work 49 hours or more a week have more drinks than those who work nine to five, research finds

According to one study, people who work harder tend to drink more alcohol.

Employees who work an average of 49 hours or more per week have one more glass of wine or beer than those who work a standard nine-to-five.

Experts say workaholics use alcohol to “reward” themselves and relax after a long and stressful week.

They also warn that the cost of living could force more families to work overtime or take a second job, which could lead to more people buying the bottle.

The World Health Organization (WHO) study is the latest to link study time to beverage consumption.

Previous research has also linked working more than 48 hours a week to excessive alcohol consumption.

In the most recent study, published in the journal Occupational Safety and Health, experts analyzed data from 14 studies involving nearly 105,000 people.

Those who worked 41 to 48 hours per week consumed an average of 10.4 g more per week of pure alcohol than those who worked 35 to 40 hours.

This is equivalent to a pint of beer or a glass of wine.

But those who earn 49 to 54 hours a week consume 17.7 g more of pure alcohol each week — the same as a weak pint or larger glass of wine.

WHO research found no evidence that long working hours were linked to binge drinking, although previous documents warned of a link.

The NHS advises men and women to regularly drink no more than 14 units per week – around 112 grams of pure alcohol.

Study author Professor Lode Godderis, from KU Leuven in Belgium, said: ‘We know that working long hours is stressful and alcohol reduces stress.

“A drink can make you feel more comfortable and after about a week of hard work you feel like you deserve a gift, so we give ourselves a gift.”

He said working from home during the pandemic and cost of living crisis could lead to longer work weeks and therefore more alcohol consumption.

It came after research that showed that spreading alcohol consumption over the week was safer than drinking overnight.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that drinking one glass a night rather than seven glasses in one sitting makes people much less likely to become an alcoholic.

The study followed 1,000 Americans aged 30 and older for nine years.

Dr. Not all units of alcohol consumed are created equal, said Charles Holahan, head of research and professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.