AP

Being unemployed is no fun -- if for no other reason than daytime TV really, really sucks. But a new study says unemployment is potentially fatal, too.

Researchers at the Stony Brook University Medical Center analyzed 42 studies covering 20 million people and found that the risk of premature death was 63 percent higher for those who experienced an episode of unemployment.

“Our study results clearly indicate that unemployment is not just bad for your pocketbook; it’s also bad for your health,” says Joseph E. Schwartz, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at the university. Which is a pretty big understatement since there’s no less-healthy condition than dead.

Guys, it gets worse. The researchers also found that the risk was worse for men than women, 78 percent to 37 percent.

The good news? If you can stick around, the risk got lower after subjects made it past 50.

Guess this means the headache the boss is giving you is nothing compared to what not having him around could do.