The pressures of the modern office are leading many workers to drink, resulting in two-day hangovers, scientists are warning.
Some office employees are turning to alcohol as a way of relieving pressure, but low quality drinks contain chemicals and toxins which mean the after effects last well beyond the weekend.
It has also been claimed that those who are under intense stress find that alcohol has less of an effect and therefore drink more in order to feel drunk.
Conversely many office workers then find it difficult to cope with the stresses related to their jobs as the alcohol makes its way out of their systems.
What this means for many is that they drink from a Thursday night through the weekend until Sunday, but face an extended hangover, which lasts until Tuesday.
Research conducted by Drinkaware found that six out of ten women admitted to drinking more than double the recommended amount on an average evening.
Stress was stated as the reason for drinking by three quarters of the women who took part in the study and one quarter of the men.
With redundancy levels on the rise, many office workers are stressed by bigger workloads and others fear for their jobs, which does not help the situation.
Add to this money worries and the problems associated with the quality of alcohol consumed come into play.
James Schaefer, research professor of anthropology at Union College, New York, said: “Poor filtering of various ethanal compounds detracts from the overall quality of the beverage. Higher levels of these compounds and other junk are more difficult for the body to break down. And an extreme, longer, hangover is more likely to ensue.”
Drinking better quality wine and spirits has been advised as a way to help combat the problem and to do so with greater moderation than the current levels being seen.
Figures from the Department of Health suggest that hungover staff lead to a loss of £1.7 billion a year in productivity for businesses.
