Working long hours can alter brain structure, affecting memory and emotions, study finds
People who work too hard and for too long can end up altering parts of their brains that manage memory and problem solving, new research suggests.
A team of South Korean researchers said their findings 'underscore the importance of addressing overwork as an occupational health concern and highlight the need for workplace policies that mitigate excessive working hours'.
Published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine, a British Medical Journal publication, the research points to
overwork as a potential cause of 'neuroadaptive changes that might affect
cognitive and emotional health'.
'Killing it' at work has long been associated with health risks that can literally kill, such as
cardiovascular disease and
mental health issues, with the International Labour Organization estimating the worldwide annual death toll from overwork at around 800,000.
The South Korean researchers say their findings 'highlight the need for workplace policies that mitigate excessive working hours'. Photo: Shutterstock
And while the researchers acknowledged that the 'behavioural and psychological consequences of overwork are reasonably well understood', they said they aimed to investigate 'the underlying neurological mechanisms and anatomical changes' stemming from working too hard.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Baby dies aboard Philippines-South Korea flight after premature birth
A baby boy born prematurely aboard a Jeju Air flight from the Philippines to Incheon, South Korea , has died, according to airport police. Emergency responders received a report early Sunday morning that an infant delivered mid-flight was not breathing, The Korea Herald newspaper reported. By the time medical personnel arrived, the newborn had no pulse and was pronounced dead after being transported to a nearby hospital. The mother, a Filipino woman in her thirties, was travelling from Clark with her husband, mother-in-law and daughter on the flight, which landed at the country's main airport at around 6.20am. She was in her 23rd to 25th week of pregnancy, Yonhap News reported. Under airline regulations, women before their 32nd week of pregnancy face no flight restrictions. Incheon Airport police are investigating the case as it falls under their jurisdiction. Photo: Shutterstock The airport police are investigating the incident as, under international law, a nation retains legal authority – known as flag state jurisdiction – over its flagged vessels, including aircraft. 'As the baby was born and died on a Korean-flagged aircraft, Korean authorities will handle the investigation,' a police official said, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily. 'We will thoroughly examine the circumstances of the birth and what led to the child's death.'
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Mainland Chinese market for weight loss and diabetes drugs to soon be more crowded: report
Competition in the mainland Chinese market for diabetes and weight loss drugs is set to intensify as more than 60 late-stage drug candidates are undergoing clinical trials, according to a recent report. Up to 20 biosimilar or generic copies will vie for market share and add pricing pressure after Denmark-based Novo Nordisk's semaglutide product loses patent protection in China next year, according to Boston-based global consultancy L.E.K. Consulting. Novo Nordisk's patent will expire in 2031 in Japan and Europe and 2032 in the US, according to its latest annual report. 'The landscape in China is expected to become even more competitive than in developed markets, where the GLP-1 category is primarily dominated by leading multinational pharmaceutical companies,' said Helen Chen, L.E.K.'s global healthcare and life sciences co-head, in a report on May 15. GLP-1 drugs mimic natural hormones, which signal the pancreas to release more insulin when blood-sugar levels are high, and also support weight loss by slowing digestion and reducing appetite. 04:12 One reporter's weight-loss journey and what a 'healthy body' means to him One reporter's weight-loss journey and what a 'healthy body' means to him Driven by sales growth of semaglutide, Novo Nordisk became the 10th largest drug company in the world in terms of revenue. London-based consultancy Evaluate said the firm's revenue rose 25 per cent to US$42.1 billion last year.
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Korean influencer suffers horrific bruises from health injection, wins case after 4 years
A South Korean influencer has won a four-year legal battle against a clinic after a so-called 'health injection' left her with horrific bruising all over her body. Advertisement The woman has drawn widespread support online and reignited public criticism of the way some clinics operate. The influencer, known online as Aori, is a former model with 762,000 followers online. Her channel focuses on fashion, lifestyle, and food. In 2021, she posted photos showing severe bruising across her body, revealing that the injuries were caused by a so-called health injection. She said that she had initially sought treatment to improve her overall health and reshape her body. The influencer, who is known online as Aori, has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. Photo: Instagram/@minyoung_aori However, during a consultation, the clinic strongly encouraged her to undergo a 'health injection,' claiming she had a 'poor physical condition' and a low chance of getting pregnant.
