London : You may blame it on circumstances, but boredom can kill you, say researchers.

A team at University College London has carried out the study and found that people who complain of boredom are more likely to die young.

And, those who experience 'high levels' of tedium are more than two-and-a-half times as likely to die from heart disease or stroke than those satisfied with their lot, the study has found.

According to the researchers, this could be a result of those unhappy with their lives turning to such unhealthy habits as smoking or drinking, which would cut their life expectancy, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

Lead researcher Martin Shipley said: "The findings on heart disease show there was sufficient evidence to say there is a link with boredom. It is important that people who have dull jobs find outside interests to keep boredom at bay, rather than turn to drinking or smoking."

The researchers have based their findings on an analysis of more than 7,000 civil servants who were studied over 25 years -- and found that who said they were bored were nearly 40 per cent more likely to have died by the end of the research than those who did not.

They looked at data from the subjects aged between 35 and 55 who were interviewed between 1985 and 1988 about their levels of boredom. They then found out whether they had died by April last year.

The survey found that one in ten civil servants had been bored within the past month, with women more than twice as likely than men to suffer. Younger employees and those with more menial jobs were also found to be more prone to boredom.

Psychologist Graham Price said: "It is important to distinguish between cause and effect. Are these people turning to drink and drugs because they are bored or because they have certain characteristics?

"For many people who are unmotivated or uninspired by life, or maybe have a tendency towards depression, the way out of it is to change their focus away from themselves and on to other people."

The findings have been published in the 'International Journal of Epidemiology'

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