Long Hours, Short Life: Can long work hours impact your lifespan?

Long working hours and

life expectancy

can be linked together. It has become a pervasive issue in today’s fast-paced world, raising serious concerns about their impact on health and longevity. According to the most recent figures from the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization, which were published in Environment International today, 7,45,000 people died from stroke and ischemic heart disease in 2016 as a result of long working hours, a 29% rise since 2000. Adding more weight to the claim, a study by the National Institutes of Health has shown that consistently working extended hours, often defined as more than 48 hours per week, can lead to a range of adverse health outcomes. These include increased risks of

cardiovascular diseases

, stroke, and even early-life death.

Health risks associated with long working hours

According to Dr. Manish Bansal, Senior Director, Clinical and Preventive Cardiology, Cardiac Care, Medanta, Gurugram, “Continuous exposure to high stress levels from overwork can lead to increased cortisol levels, which over time can contribute to hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. As per the data published by the World Health Organization, working 55 hours or more per week is associated with an estimated 35% higher risk of a stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease, compared to working 35-40 hours a week. Systemic reviews and meta-analyses have also revealed similar findings. This heightened risk occurs due to a combination of factors such as prolonged stress, inadequate physical activity, and insufficient sleep, all of which are common among those who work excessively long hours.”

The role of stress and physical inactivity

The most common way to characterize the link between physical activity or exercise and the result of CVD suggests that while further increasing exercise volumes results in lesser risk reductions, switching from a sedentary lifestyle to one that is mildly or moderately active yields a rather high risk reduction. Therefore, any physical activity is preferable to none at all, but higher levels of physical activity seem to further lower CVD.

The need for work-life balance

The lack of

work-life balance

also negatively affects mental health, increasing the likelihood of anxiety and depression, which are themselves risk factors for various physical health issues. All these health concerns create a big problem for life expectancy, causing immature deaths. It is therefore crucial for both employers and employees to recognize the importance of work-life balance.