Latest news with #overworking
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
The working pattern that can cause brain damage revealed – as scientists warn it's not shift work
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.
CTV News
14-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Working long hours? It could be altering the structure of your brain, new study says
Working long hours is linked to changes in brain structure, according to a new study. Maskot/Getty Images via CNN Newsource Long working hours might not just be bad for you, they could also be altering the structure of your brain, a new study suggests. The research, published Tuesday, found 'significant changes' in the brains of people who were overworking, which is a combination of physical and emotional overexertion, as well as a lack of rest. The research was conducted by two scientists at South Korea's Chung-Ang University and Yonsei University, who followed 110 healthcare workers classified into 'overworked' and 'non-overworked' groups. In South Korea, where 52 hours of work per week is the legal upper limit, overworking has become a public health concern. The overworked group, clocking 52 hours or more each week, consisted of 32 people who were on average younger, in employment for less time and more highly educated in comparison to those working standard hours. By comparing data from a different study and MRI scans, the researchers were able to use a neuroimaging technique to analyze the workers' brain volume. The technique allowed them to identify and compare differences in levels of gray matter in different regions of the brain, while the application of atlas-based analysis meant they could identify and label structures in brain scans. 'People who worked 52 or more hours a week displayed significant changes in brain regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation, unlike participants who worked standard hours,' researchers said in a press release. Areas of the brain that showed an increase in volume include the middle frontal gyrus, which plays a major role in cognitive functions, attention, memory and language-related processes, as well as the insula, which is involved in emotional processing, self-awareness and understanding social context. Researchers believe their findings suggest a 'potential relationship' between having an increased workload and changes in these parts of the brain, providing a biological basis for the cognitive and emotional challenges reported by people who are overworked. Joon Yul Choi, coauthor of the study and an assistant professor at Yonsei University's Department of Biomedical Engineering, told CNN that these changes might be 'at least in part, reversible' if environmental stressors are reversed. Still, returning to your brain's baseline state could take much longer. 'Important new evidence' Previous research has also found evidence of the negative health impacts of long working hours. In 2021, joint research from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that overworking led to more than 745,000 deaths in a year. Long hours have also been found to raise the risk of diabetes in women and contribute to a decline in cognitive ability. While these behavioral and psychological consequences of overwork are well-known, the underlying neurological mechanisms and changes in anatomy are less understood, the study explained. Frank Pega, who led the WHO-ILO 2021 study, told CNN that these latest findings constitute 'important new evidence' that could help better understand how long working hours 'radically' impact the physical health of workers. Pega, a WHO technical officer who was not involved in this latest study, said the research supports WHO-ILO's findings that 'long working hours contribute the largest burden of disease of all occupational risk factors identified so far.' However, the study's small sample size and focus only on healthcare workers in South Korea makes it hard to generalize its results. 'More studies in different populations are needed,' said Pega. '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,' said the researchers. As for anyone stuck working long hours? Now you might have a scientific basis to cut down on your time at work. 'Governments, employers, and workers can all take actions to protect workers' health from long working hours,' advised Pega, citing laws, regulations and policies that can ensure healthy work hours. 'The results underscore the importance of addressing overwork as an occupational health concern,' said the study's authors. Jonny Gifford, principal research fellow at the Institute for Employment Studies in Brighton, England, who was not involved in the study, told CNN that the research 'confirms some physiological reasons that working long hours affects our wellbeing.' 'The use of brain scanning equipment to give neurological explanations gives powerful new evidence linking overwork with structural changes in parts of the brain involved in executive function and emotional regulation,' he said. 'It's a small study of 110 healthcare workers in Korea, but because it is based on robust neurological measures and concerns fundamental mechanisms (overwork and fatigue) that can affect anyone, the central findings are widely relevant,' Gifford added. The study was published in the journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
CNN
13-05-2025
- Health
- CNN
Working long hours? It could be altering the structure of your brain
Long working hours might not just be bad for you, they could also be altering the structure of your brain, a new study suggests. The research, published Tuesday, found 'significant changes' in the brains of people who were overworking, which is a combination of physical and emotional overexertion, as well as a lack of rest. The research was conducted by two scientists at South Korea's Chung-Ang University and Yonsei University, who followed 110 healthcare workers classified into 'overworked' and 'non-overworked' groups. In South Korea, where 52 hours of work per week is the legal upper limit, overworking has become a public health concern. The overworked group, clocking 52 hours or more each week, consisted of 32 people who were on average younger, in employment for less time and more highly educated in comparison to those working standard hours. By comparing data from a different study and MRI scans, the researchers were able to use a neuroimaging technique to analyse the workers' brain volume. The technique allowed them to identify and compare differences in levels of gray matter in different regions of the brain, while the application of atlas-based analysis meant they could identify and label structures in brain scans. 'People who worked 52 or more hours a week displayed significant changes in brain regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation, unlike participants who worked standard hours,' researchers said in a press release. Areas of the brain that showed an increase in volume include the middle frontal gyrus, which plays a major role in cognitive functions, attention, memory and language-related processes, as well as the insula, which is involved in emotional processing, self-awareness and understanding social context. Researchers believe their findings suggest a 'potential relationship' between having an increased workload and changes in these parts of the brain, providing a biological basis for the cognitive and emotional challenges reported by people who are overworked. Joon Yul Choi, coauthor of the study and an assistant professor at Yonsei University's Department of Biomedical Engineering, told CNN that these changes might be 'at least in part, reversible' if environmental stressors are reversed. Still, returning to your brain's baseline state could take much longer. Previous research has also found evidence of the negative health impacts of long working hours. In 2021, joint research from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that overworking led to more than 745,000 deaths in a year. Long hours have also been found to raise the risk of diabetes in women and contribute to a decline in cognitive ability. While these behavioral and psychological consequences of overwork are well-known, the underlying neurological mechanisms and changes in anatomy are less understood, the study explained. Frank Pega, who led the WHO-ILO 2021 study, told CNN that these latest findings constitute 'important new evidence' that could help better understand how long working hours 'radically' impact the physical health of workers. Pega, a WHO technical officer who was not involved in this latest study, said the research supports WHO-ILO's findings that 'long working hours contribute the largest burden of disease of all occupational risk factors identified so far.' However, the study's small sample size and focus only on healthcare workers in South Korea makes it hard to generalize its results. 'More studies in different populations are needed,' said Pega. '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,' said the researchers. As for anyone stuck working long hours? Now you might have a scientific basis to cut down on your time at work. 'Governments, employers, and workers can all take actions to protect workers' health from long working hours,' advised Pega, citing laws, regulations and policies that can ensure healthy work hours. 'The results underscore the importance of addressing overwork as an occupational health concern,' said the study's authors. Jonny Gifford, principal research fellow at the Institute for Employment Studies in Brighton, England, who was not involved in the study, told CNN that the research 'confirms some physiological reasons that working long hours affects our wellbeing.' 'The use of brain scanning equipment to give neurological explanations gives powerful new evidence linking overwork with structural changes in parts of the brain involved in executive function and emotional regulation,' he said. 'It's a small study of 110 healthcare workers in Korea, but because it is based on robust neurological measures and concerns fundamental mechanisms (overwork and fatigue) that can affect anyone, the central findings are widely relevant,' Gifford added. The study was published in the journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. CNN's Jack Guy contributed to this report.
