Latest news with #OccupationalandEnvironmentalMedicine
The Star
4 days ago
- 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.'
Korea Herald
15-05-2025
- Health
- Korea Herald
Working over 52 hours a week linked to structural brain changes, MRI study shows
A new brain imaging study from South Korea suggests that working over 52 hours a week may cause structural changes in the brain, potentially affecting how people think, manage emotions, and handle stress. In a pilot study published Tuesday in the international medical journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, scientists from Yonsei University and Chung-Ang University scanned the brains of 110 health care workers and found significant differences between those regularly working at or above Korea's legal weekly limit of 52 hours and those working fewer hours. South Korea's labor law limits working hours in most jobs to 52 per week, combining a 40-hour standard week with up to 12 hours of overtime. The overworked group of 32 individuals showed a 19 percent increase in volume in the left caudal middle frontal gyrus compared with the non-overworked group. This brain region is associated with attention, working memory, and complex decision-making. In total, 17 areas showed greater volume in those working longer hours, including regions 'associated with executive function and emotional regulation.' 'This study provides preliminary evidence that overwork is associated with structural brain changes, particularly in regions linked to cognition and emotion,' the researchers wrote. 'These findings provide novel neurobiological evidence linking prolonged working hours to structural brain changes.' However, the researchers caution against drawing firm conclusions. The reseach was a cross-sectional study, meaning it looked at conditions at a specific point of time, rather tan changes over time. For this reason, they notes that it was unclear whether these brain changes are the result of long work hours or a pre-existing trait among people inclined to work more. 'The observed associations may be influenced by unmeasured confounders or pre-existing differences rather than a direct effect of prolonged working hours,' they added in the paper. The findings come amid South Korea approaches a snap presidential election on June 3, where working-hour reform is emerging as a major campaign issue. Frontrunner Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party has pledged to reduce actual labor time by transitioning toward a 4.5-day workweek. His opponent, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, supports flexible hours that keep the 40-hour baseline but allow extended work early in the week for earlier finishes on Fridays. Under his plan, employees would work one extra hour from Monday to Thursday, allowing them to leave work four hours earlier on Friday. Kim has also floated loosening enforcement of the current 52-hour cap to accommodate business needs. South Koreans are known for working noticeably more than their peers in other developed nations. OECD's 2022 data shows Korea's average is 122 hours higher than the OECD average of 1,752 hours, equivalent to nearly 15 extra full workdays each year.
