Latest news with #OccupationalandEnvironmentalMedicine
Time of India
29-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Your job might be quietly changing your brain structure and you don't even know yet: Study
Study Focused on Healthcare Workers Structural Brain Changes Detected Experts Call for Workplace Reforms As longer workweeks become the norm in many professions, concerns about their impact on health are growing. Beyond fatigue and burnout, new research suggests that consistently working extended hours could be reshaping the brain itself. A recent study by South Korean researchers has found that individuals putting in 52 or more hours a week may experience structural changes in regions of the brain linked to memory, emotional control, and decision-making—raising serious questions about the long-term effects of overwork on mental and cognitive study, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, was conducted by researchers from Chung-Ang University and Yonsei University in South Korea. It analysed data from 110 healthcare professionals as part of the Gachon Regional Occupational Cohort Study (GROCS). Participants were split into two groups: those who worked standard hours and those who worked at least 52 hours a week—the maximum legal weekly limit in South group logging longer hours was generally younger, more highly educated, and had less work experience than those with regular schedules. To explore how extended work hours may affect the brain, researchers performed MRI scans and used voxel-based morphometry (VBM), a method that examines changes in brain brain scans revealed notable differences. Individuals working long hours showed a 19% increase in volume in the left caudal middle frontal gyrus—a region involved in attention, memory, and language processing. Additionally, researchers observed peak volume increases in 17 brain areas, including the superior frontal gyrus and the insula. These regions are known to support functions such as emotional regulation, decision-making, self-awareness, and sensory to the researchers, these volume increases may indicate a neuroadaptive response to chronic workplace stress. While the precise mechanisms remain unclear, the findings point to a possible biological basis for common complaints among overworked individuals, such as emotional imbalance, mental fatigue, and difficulty Yul Choi, a co-author of the study and professor at Yonsei University, noted that while these changes might be reversible if environmental stressors are reduced, the brain may not immediately return to its original state. He emphasised that overwork should be treated as a serious occupational health Pega from the World Health Organization, who previously led research into the health risks of overwork, described the new findings as important evidence. He said the study supports broader research showing how long working hours significantly impact physical and mental health . However, he also pointed out the study's limitations, including its small sample size and narrow demographic of South Korean healthcare workers. He called for more research across different sectors and Gifford, a principal research fellow at the Institute for Employment Studies in the UK, added that this study offers physiological proof of what many already observe—working excessively can affect mental wellbeing. He said the use of brain scans gives a clearer picture of how overwork may be structurally altering the the study is still in its early stages and calls for more comprehensive research, it brings to light a critical issue: long working hours may do more than exhaust the body—they might be reshaping the brain. As evidence continues to grow, experts stress the need for workplace policies that prioritise employee health and set firm limits on working hours to prevent long-term cognitive and emotional harm.
Time of India
28-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Working long hours? Here's how it changes the brain
A recent study reveals that prolonged working hours can induce alterations in brain structure, potentially impacting cognitive and emotional well-being. Researchers analyzing brain scans of healthcare workers found significant changes in regions governing executive functions and emotional regulation among those working over 52 hours weekly. Are you working longer hours? Well, we don't know how it would reflect on your paycheck, but it's certainly going to alter your brain. Yes, that's right. A new study has found that long working hours could alter the brain structure and even affect your cognitive and emotional health. A new study found that long working hours may alter the structure of the brain. The findings of the study are published in the Occupational and Environmental Medicine journal. Long working hours and the brain The preliminary findings from the new study suggest that working long hours changes the structure of the brain , particularly the areas associated with emotional regulation and executive function, such as working memory and problem-solving. The study has confirmed that overwork may lead to neuroadaptive changes, which affect cognitive and emotional health. Previous studies have found that long working hours are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and mental health issues. Overwork kills more than 800,000 people every year, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The study Though the behavioural and psychological consequences of working overtime were known, its neurological mechanisms and anatomical changes weren't explored. The researcher explored this, and to understand it they analysed structural brain volume and compared the impact of overwork on specific brain regions in healthcare workers, who regularly worked 52 or more hours a week. They analysed data from the Gachon Regional Occupational Cohort Study (GROCS) and MRI scans carried out for a research project on the effects of working conditions on brain structure. The participants in the GROCS were asked to take an additional MRI scan, and the final analysis included 110 people after excluding those with missing data or poor MRI image quality. Among the participants, most of them were clinicians: 32 worked excessive weekly hours (28%); 78 worked standard hours. The findings The researchers noticed that people who were working long hours every week were significantly younger, had less job experience, but were more highly educated than those clocking up regular hours. The researchers used voxel-based morphometry (VBM), a brain imaging technique, to understand the changes. They found that people who worked 52 or more hours a week had significant changes in the regions of the brain associated with executive function and emotional regulation, compared to those who worked regular hours. People working long hours had a 19% larger volume in the middle frontal gyrus compared to those with standard working hours. This part of the brain has a crucial role in various cognitive functions, particularly in the frontal lobe. It's linked with attention, working memory, and language-related processing. VBM showed peak increases in 17 regions, including the middle frontal gyrus, the superior frontal gyrus, which is involved in attention, planning, and decision-making, and the insula. The insula has a key role in integrating sensory, motor, and autonomic feedback from the body. This includes emotional processing, self-awareness, and understanding social context. 'While the results should be interpreted cautiously due to the exploratory nature of this pilot study, they represent a meaningful first step in understanding the relationship between overwork and brain health,' the researchers said. 'Notably, the increased brain volumes observed in overworked individuals may reflect neuroadaptive responses to chronic occupational stress, although the exact mechanisms remain speculative,' they added. 'The observed changes in brain volume may provide a biological basis for the cognitive and emotional challenges often reported in overworked individuals. Future longitudinal and multi-modal neuroimaging studies are warranted to confirm these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. 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,' they said.
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Business Standard
26-06-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Does your job involve meeting people? It may raise diabetes risk: Study
Jobs that involve constant interaction with people, especially those that are emotionally demanding or involve frequent confrontations, may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A large Swedish study titled Person-related work and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a Swedish register-based cohort study, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, found that people working in such roles face up to a 24 per cent higher risk of diabetes. The study also showed that women in emotionally demanding jobs with low workplace support had the highest risk—up to 47 per cent—of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers from Sweden's Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, who followed nearly 3 million people in Sweden over 14 years, found that workplace stress, especially in people-facing roles, could have serious long-term effects on metabolic health. What's the link between workplace stress and diabetes? The researchers tracked nearly 3 million Swedish workers aged 30 to 60 years who were free of diabetes in 2005. They specifically looked at people-facing roles in industries like healthcare, education, social work, hospitality, and transportation, focusing on three types of work-related interactions: General contact with people Emotional demands (dealing with people in distress) Confrontation (handling conflicts with clients or customers) The study spanned from 2006 to 2020 and recorded over 200,000 new cases of type 2 diabetes during this period. The study observed that women faced a greater impact of workplace stress on diabetes risk than men. While both sexes were affected, the link between high emotional demands and diabetes was stronger in women, particularly when job control was low and social support was missing. Which professions carry higher diabetes risk? Jobs that require high emotional engagement or confrontational situations were found to carry a significantly higher risk of diabetes. These included: Healthcare professionals Teachers Customer service executives Social workers Law enforcement and security staff The emotional burden was especially pronounced in human service jobs, where workers often deal with distressed patients or clients but rarely receive emotional reciprocity. How does chronic workplace stress lead to diabetes? Chronic workplace stress is known to trigger hormonal changes, particularly increasing cortisol (the stress hormone) levels, which can lead to insulin resistance—a key factor in type 2 diabetes. The researchers also suggested that such stress may lead to unhealthy coping behaviours like overeating, physical inactivity, or excessive alcohol use, which further elevate diabetes risk. Does workplace support protect against diabetes risk? The study found that the risk of diabetes from emotionally demanding or confrontational jobs was much higher in people with low social support from managers and colleagues. For women in emotionally taxing roles with poor workplace support, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes was as high as 47 per cent more compared to those in less demanding jobs with good support. What can be done to reduce this health risk? The findings underline the importance of creating supportive, empathetic workplaces, especially in people-facing sectors. Organisations should: Foster better peer and managerial support Implement stress management programmes Offer more autonomy and control in emotionally demanding roles
The Star
31-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Too much work changes the brain... literally
Scientists find that working long hours produces significant physical changes in the brain, but are still unsure of what that means precisely. — AFP We all know that working long hours is detrimental to our personal well-being. But scientists now think that it may alter the structure of our brains. A South Korean study, recently published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine , sheds new light on the risks of overwork. It reveals structural alterations in the brain of people working more than 52 hours a week. Like many working people, you may have already extended your day at the office long after your colleagues have left, perhaps to answer emails or finish an urgent task. But at what cost? This habit, deeply rooted in many professional cultures, is gradually undermining personal well-being. It feeds chronic stress and weakens mental and physical health, to the point of disrupting the very functioning of the brain. These are the findings of a team of researchers from Chung-Ang and Yonsei Universities. Analysing the effects of overwork on the human brain, they conducted a study involving 110 professionals, mostly from the healthcare sector. The participants were divided into two groups: the first comprised 32 people working 52 hours or more a week, and the second, 78 people with standard working hours. Brain imaging revealed clear differences in grey matter volumes, particularly in areas associated with executive function and emotional regulation. The results are striking: the scientists found a significant increase in grey matter in certain brain regions, as a possible physical effect of burnout. The middle frontal gyrus, which plays a role in attention, memory and advanced cognitive functions, showed a 19% increase in volume in the most overworked workers. Other areas were also affected, such as the superior frontal gyrus, involved in planning and decision-making, and the insula, which is essential for self-awareness, emotional management and interpreting social context. The study authors state in a press release that 'the observed changes in brain volume may provide a biological basis for the cognitive and emotional challenges often reported in overworked individuals'. What exactly does this increase in grey matter volume mean though? For now, the answer remains unclear. 'While the results should be interpreted cautiously due to the exploratory nature of this pilot study, they represent a meaningful first step in understanding the relationship between overwork and brain health,' the researchers say. For the time being, it is impossible to determine whether these changes are directly caused by overwork, whether they pre-exist it, or whether they are reversible. Although the study sample is small – consisting exclusively of South Korean healthcare workers – the results form part of a worrying trend. In 2021, a joint study by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) attributed over 745,000 deaths a year to overwork. The link between long working hours and cognitive decline is now well documented. At a time when trials of the four-day week are multiplying, these conclusions serve as a wake-up call. '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,' the researchers warn. Concrete measures like legislation, public policy and time limits, need to be considered to protect workers in the long term. The message is clear: if you're feeling tired, distracted or emotionally frazzled, it could be more than just a slump; it could be your brain sounding the alarm. – AFP Relaxnews
Business Mayor
15-05-2025
- Health
- Business Mayor
The 52-hour work week: why it could boost your brain – in a bad way
Name: The 52-hour work week. Age: Relatively new – our hunter-gatherer ancestors probably only worked for 15 hours a week. Appearance: Frazzled. How much is a 52-hour week, exactly? It works out to 10.4 hours a day, five days a week. Mad. And stupid. You'd have to be, right? A new study suggests those working more than 52 hours could suffer effects including 'emotional instability or reduced cognitive efficiency in the longer term'. So working too hard is bad for you. I'm shocked. Previous studies have shown that overwork leads to stress, anxiety and reduced cognitive function. But the new study, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, also shows that working too hard produces physical changes in the brain. What kind of changes? Increased brain volume in specific areas associated with executive function – cognitive skills – and emotional regulation in those working more than 52 hours a week, when compared with a non-overworked group. So the more I work, the smarter and more emotionally regulated I get. That could be happening in the short term, but other studies have shown such increases in grey matter can have a negative impact on executive function. Why have they settled on 52 hours? The study examined the brains of healthcare workers in South Korea, where the Korean Labour Standards Act identifies 52 hours a week as the critical threshold for increased health risk. Other studies have used 55 hours. What about Britain? How much is too much? In the UK it's illegal to make someone work more than 48 hours per week. Not just illegal, but almost impossible – you'd probably have to come in on Fridays! But 48 hours is an average, normally calculated over 17 weeks. And there are exceptions. What kind of exceptions? Those working in the armed forces, emergency services and police, for example. Just the sort of people you'd want to have tip-top cognitive function, ironically. You can also opt out of the 48-hour week and work more hours, as long as you confirm that in writing. I would consider doing that, if I was able to secure my dream job. What is your dream job? Testing mattresses. I think you'll find it's more difficult than it sounds. Do say: 'I worked hard to get where I am today – emotionally unstable and cognitively impaired.' Don't say: 'Do you ever do studies on people who work fewer than 20 hours a week? Because I'd like to sign up.'
