Working long hours may alter the structure of your brain, a new study has found. The research, published in the journal Occupational And Environmental Medicine, found "significant changes" in the brains of people who were overworking. The research was conducted by two scientists at South Korea's Chung-Ang University and Yonsei University. It looked at the impact of overwork on specific regions in health workers who regularly clocked up more than 52 hours a week. Around 110 workers were included in the final analysis. Of these, 32 worked excessive hours and 78 worked standard hours.
The study found that being "overworked" could affect the part of the brain linked with problem-solving and memory, as well as impacting mental health, CNN reported. The researchers used data, including MRI scans, to examine brain structure. This technique allowed them to identify and compare differences in levels of grey matter in different regions of the brain.
"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.
The study authors also found planning and decision-making parts of the brain were affected. They believe that 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.
The researchers 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."
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According to SkyNews, 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," she added.
