Hello! If you’re like many of the working professionals out there, more so those holding high-stress jobs, you might always find yourself sucked into this hustle culture, working late nights, often way past your standard hours. But do you know this might be some sort of health and well-being bomb waiting to go off? Let’s dive in for some eye-opening findings and actionable advice on how one could effectively balance work and health.
You’ve probably heard about the bad effects of overwork, right? In a new study published in PLOS One, people who spent volatile hours or night shifts in their 20s and 30s were found to be more susceptible to depression and poor health by the age of 50. NYU Silver School of Social Work professor Dr. Wen-Jui Han determined that “our work now is making us sick and poor.” Her research aimed at explaining how the irregular work schedule and lack of sleep might have long-term impacts on health.
Take the case of Lisa Choi, a business analyst from Seattle. They were physically very fit, super active, yet developed a serious heart condition because she was working on an average 60 hours a week. This is not an exception. According to study results by the WHO and the ILO, overwork causes some 750,000 deaths from ischemic heart disease and stroke each year. “I was extremely surprised by the size of the burden,” said Frank Pega, a WHO technical officer. The message is clear: Overwork is killing us.
Now, how precisely does overwork affect your health? It all boils down to stress and lifestyle changes. Long hours could translate to increased amounts of stress hormones, high blood pressure, poor sleep, and packing extra calories into one’s diet. According to Dr. Alyson Myers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a major risk factor for diabetes became poor sleep. She had seen that frequently, her patients who often work at night because of poorly sleeping schedules always had bad glycemic control.
Here’s the kicker: You may think you’re okay with putting in those hours, but your body may tell a whole different story. For instance, Han’s study showed that workers with night hours and rotating shifts reported less sleep and more health issues compared to those working regular daytime hours. This cuts across all demographics, indicating just how needed work schedule management is.
What can you do about it then?
- Get Enough Sleep: You should get at least seven hours of sleep every night. That may mean learning some job boundaries or building a sleep routine. I promise your future self will be on their knees, thanking you.
- Manage Stress: Add some kind of tension relief into your daily routine, like exercise, meditation, or just quick breaks from the computer. A few minutes of deep breathing will do it.
- Take stock of your work roster: Wherever possible, discuss with your employer to have flexible hours or share jobs. As per Pega, flexible work hours should be accommodated in the work environment to facilitate good health.
- Healthy Eating: Eat healthily whenever possible. Package healthy snacks and meals for yourself so that you skip the temptation of fast foods readily available.
- Stay Active: Fit in some physical activity, at least a short walk during lunch breaks. This will help in bringing down your stress levels and will, in turn, be good for your overall health.
It’s not all about individual changes, comes the rejoinder. Employers need to realize the advantage of giving work-life balance. “We can do something. This is for everybody,” insists Pega. Companies that make employee well-being a priority are seeing more productivity with much better job satisfaction.
Let us take a lesson or two from European countries with firm labor laws. For instance, the European Working Time Directive enforces a 48-hour work limit per employee in one week. A policy like this prevents workers from overworking and thus helps them maintain healthier lives.
It becomes especially important to cope with stress and health issues in the case of having multiple jobs or irregular hours. Resources from employers to their workers, as would be provided by counseling services and wellness programs, would therefore be very much in order.
In conclusion, long working hours and unstable schedules can seriously affect your mental and physical health. And one can acquire much better quality of life and well-being by being proactive in advocating for good working conditions. Your health is your biggest wealth. Take care!