The working pattern that can cause brain damage revealed – as scientists warn it's not shift work

The Sun

15-05-2025

THE health dangers of night shift work are well known, as it can decimate heart health and raise the risk of mental health issues and cancer.
But scientists warn that another working pattern can also take its toll, possibly causing damage to the brain.
A new study found that "overworking" may alter the structure of your brain, affecting problem-solving and memory.
If you're working nine to fives, you'll typically spend about 40 hours a week toiling at your desk - but it's not uncommon to linger after working hours are technically over.
Scientists classified overworking as clocking in more than 52 hours a week.
A study - published in the journal Occupational And Environmental Medicine - looked at how long working hours impacted the brains of health workers who regularly slogged more than 52 hours a week.
Researchers drew on data from the from a long-term study that used MRI scans to examine how working conditions affect brain structure.
They included 110 people in their final analysis, most of whom were clinicians.
Of these, 32 clocked in excessive work ours whole, while 78 worked standard hours.
Those toiling for 52 hours a week or more were significantly younger, had spent less time in work and were more highly educated than those clocking up standard hours.
Researchers compared the brain scans of overworkers with standard workers.
They found that people who worked 52 or more hours a week "exhibited significant changes in brain regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation", unlike participants who worked standard hours every week.
They also found that parts of the brain associated with planning and decision-making were affected.
For example, the study team observed a 19 per cent increase in the volume of the middle frontal gyrus - involved in attention and memory - in people working long hours.
The researchers, including from Yonsei University in South Korea, said: "The results underscore the importance of addressing overwork as an occupational health concern and highlight the need for workplace policies that mitigate excessive working hours."
Ruth Wilkinson, head of policy and public affairs at the charity the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, said urgent action is needed to tackle "an epidemic of long working hours".
"A long hours culture can be experienced in what we've identified as the 'small print' of working life today," she said.
"This captures those hidden or unspoken expectations placed on top of workers' contracts.
"It includes always having to be available/on duty in this digital age, stripped of the right to disconnect from work outside of normal working hours."
A YouGov survey by the organisation found that nearly a quarter of UK workers regularly work more than the legal maximum number of hours, which is 48 hours a week.
6 ways you're damaging your brain
Not socialising enough
Feeling lonely has long been linked with cognitive decline and the development of Alzheimer's.
One US study looking at the brains of healthy adults found those who reported feelings of loneliness had higher cortical amyloid levels - a marker used to help diagnose dementia and Alzheimer's.
Participants with increased amyloid were seven and a half times more likely to identify as lonely, the Harvard Medical School said.
You don't have a sense of purpose
Would you agree or disagree with the following statement: 'I have a sense of direction and purpose in life"?
People who agreed tended to have a considerably less likely risk of developing Alzheimier's disease, according to a four-year study of 900 people from Chicago.
Studies have shown that older adults with hobbies or who try and engage in social activities may age slower.
Not getting enough sleep
A lack of sleep is linked with dementia in later life.
It could be that not getting enough good quality rest causes more of the protein amyloid in the brain, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's Society says that problems such as struggling to get to sleep, stay asleep or napping are associated with many forms of dementia - but says the topic is "complicated".
Not exercising
One study at the University of British Columbia found that regular aerobic exercise boosts the size of the hippocampus - a brain region involved in verbal memory and learning.
Aerobic exercise is the kind that gets your heart pumping and sweaty, as opposed to muscle or weight training.
Similarly, high intensity workouts keep blood flowing to the brain, Researchers at the University of Queensland have found.
Poor diet
Kkeeping your diet healthy and weight managed can indirectly help the brain by banishing diseases like high blood pressure.
Studies have shown that a typical 'Western' diet of highly processed food is linked to higher depression rates than those that are healthier, such as Mediterranean and Japanese.
Some foods are considered optimal for brain health - salmon (high in omega-3), dark chocolate, berries, nuts and eggs are just examples.
Listening to loud music
Loss of hearing is linked with dementia, studies have suggested - and listening to loud music can cause damage to the eardrums.
The NHS says to protect your hearing, do not listen to music at more than 60 per cent of the maximum volume.
Do not use earphones or headphones for more than an hour at a time – take a break for at least five minutes every hour.
Meanwhile, more than half said they regularly check work emails and messages outside of normal hours.
The Korean research team said long working hours have previously been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and mental health issues.
They cited figures from the International Labour Organisation, which estimates that overwork kills more than 800,000 people every year.