Thana Prasongsin via Getty Images A new WHO study suggests long work hours may kill hundreds of thousands of people around the globe every year. Putting in long hours at work isn’t just emotionally and physically draining; it can be deadly, according to a new report from the World Health Organization and International Labor Organization. The peer-reviewed study, which WHO says is the first global analysis of its kind, found that 488 million people around the world put in long work hours, defined as 55 hours or more per week. People who work long hours had a 35% higher risk of stroke and a 17% higher risk of heart disease compared to those who worked 35 to 40 hours per week, the researchers concluded.