Working for long hours and straining yourself at office may put you at a higher risk of developing anxiety and depression. Previous studies have linked tension and pressure at work to weariness and other lifestyle diseases but only a few have evaluated the relation of working hours to anxiety and depression. To examine whether long work hours are associated with increased levels and prevalence of anxiety and depression, Norwegian researchers compared 1,350 overtime workers to 9,000 with normal work hours. It was found that men who worked the most overtime i.e. nine to 60 hours a week showed the greatest signs of anxiety and depression. These men tended to have lower work skills and education levels than others and had jobs involving heavy manual labour and shift work. While these men were at highest risk, even moderate overtime work appeared to be at a risk of mental distress. The scores showed that possible depression increased from about nine percent for men with normal work hours to 12.5 percent for those who worked overtime, while in women, the rate of possible depression increased from seven to eleven percent. The researchers cautioned people from overstraining themselves at work. What causes working long hours to increase anxiety and depression was not explored in the study.
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
June 2008