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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Trader Joe's recalls fan favorite item over listeria fears
A popular cheese sold at Trader Joe's has issued an urgent recall, warning dairy lovers in two states that a beloved item may contain listeria. Trader Joe's announced on Friday that Face Rock Creamery's Vampire Slayer Cheese Curds, sold across Northern California and Northern Nevada, may be tainted with the deadly bacteria. 'A single lot code of Face Rock Creamery's Vampire Slayer Cheese Curds is being recalled because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes,' the company wrote. Affected Golden State locations include Trader Joe's stores in Monterey, Fresno and 'all locations North.' In Nevada, the call back impacts the supermarkets in Carson City, Reno and Sparks. Customers who bought the garlic-flavored cheddar curds with packaging reading 'Use BY 082925' should get rid of them immediately. The cheese curds can either be throw away or returned to Trader Joe's for a full refund, the store said in a statement. Those who have concerns or questions about the recall are urged to contact Trader Joe's customer relations. Face Rock Creamery voluntarily recalled the product after routine product sampling revealed the cheese curds tested positive for listeria, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wrote in a statement. The FDA and Oregon Department of Agriculture have been alerted, and the company is investigating what caused the contamination. 'Face Rock Creamery is committed to ensuring the safety and quality of our products and is working closely with our distribution partners and regulatory agencies to resolve the matter swiftly and thoroughly,' the dairy distributer wrote. 'We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate the trust our customers place in us.' As of Sunday afternoon, no illnesses have been reported in connection to this food warning. A listeria bacterial infection, listeriosis, can cause fever, headache and diarrhea in most people. But it can be deadly for pregnant women, newborns, the elderly and those with weak immune systems. Severe symptoms may include stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and seizures. Soft cheeses, deli meats and hot dogs are the most common foods that may contain listeria, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Raw vegetables, smoked fish and unpasteurized milk are also at risk. Face Rock Creamery is an Bandon, Oregon-based company that opened for business in 2013, according to its website. Along with two brick and mortar locations and an online platform, Face Rock Creamery sells its cheese in more than 30 different retailers, including Stop and Shop, Kroger and Albertsons.
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Mummified creature with human-like hands found next to severed head is linked to legend of blood-sucking beast
A MUMMIFIED creature with human-like hands was found, leaving scientists gobsmacked as they find out what it is. The creature, called the "Capacabra," was found at Michigan State University while Cook-Seevers Hall was being renovated in 2018. 5 5 Since then, it's become a spooky mascot for the school's Campus Archaeology Program, with some of them working to solve the mystery. "It is roughly the size of a small cat, and it's got a very long, skinny tail, which goes hand in hand with cat-like features," Jerielle Cartales, a PHD student, told the Daily Mail. "But it has very, like, almost human hands. There's five fingers, and nails, and everything – it looks almost humanoid." The creature is covered with a thin layer of tissue that Cartales said felt like "old parchment paper." "It has its nose and its ear still, but they're very dried out." Comparisons have been made to the chupacabra, a mythical, bloodsucking beast from American folklore, hence the nickname the "capacabra." Like its namesake, there's so much about the creature that's unknown, including its age, however, it can't predate 1889, which is when the building the constructed. "So the interesting thing is that it could have been there for a month, it could have been there for 50 years, we don't really know," said Cartales. "Theoretically, I guess we could try radiocarbon dating it, but the building itself isn't old enough for it to be worth it." THEORIES RUNNING AMOK Since the creature's discovery, there have been many theories on what it could possibly be, including one expert suggesting it could be an opossum However, Cartales doesn't agree. "And so we were throwing out a bunch of ideas about what it could be," she said. "We were throwing out like 'maybe it's a dog, maybe it's a cat,' but raccoon didn't even make the list. "And now, that's my very strong hunch." The mummy was X-rayed to compare its skeleton with other known species, providing a clearer picture of what it could be. So far, a dog, a cat, and a rat were quickly ruled out as possible theories. At first, a raccoon seemed like a possibility; however, it's hard to be sure without a dental comparison, said Cartales. "A raccoon has the same general cranium shape, and the same with the snout shape," she said. "But the osteology text doesn't have any good images of dentition for the raccoon because their example was edentulous. "So I'm trying to find an example of a raccoon I can use for dentition. That's the next step." How the creature ended up in the building is also a mystery, with Cartales thinking it may have gone inside an air duct and got trapped. Mummification can happen in dry environments, which is likely how the creature met its fate. "If it was found next to an air duct, which seems to me like the most accessible point for an animal to get in from the outside, then that would be a pretty regular supply of warm, dry air, especially in the colder months." She added that it gets very humid in the area, but the building offered the perfect environment for mummification to take place. For now, Cartales believes the creature is a raccoon, "I'm a scientist, I'm never going to say 100% on anything." 5
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Ancient 'lost city' found at bottom of the Atlantic Ocean holds clue to origins of life
Deep in the Atlantic Ocean, scientists have discovered a haunting undersea world that may hold the blueprint for how life began on Earth. This vast field of mineral towers, called the Lost City, is the oldest known hydrothermal system in the ocean. Scientists believe its extreme conditions mirror the early Earth, offering clues to how the first life forms might have emerged. The Lost City Hydrothermal Field lie more than 2,300 feet beneath the surface, on the slopes of an underwater mountain in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a massive underwater mountain range that runs through the Atlantic Ocean. It marks the boundary between tectonic plates and is a hotspot for geological activity. Researchers estimate the Lost City has existed for over 120,000 years, making it the longest-living hydrothermal vent field ever discovered. In a recent breakthrough, scientists successfully recovered a core sample of mantle rock from the site. This rock is the deep Earth source that fuels the vent system. The core sample could help scientists better understand the chemical reactions happening beneath the seafloor, reactions that produce hydrocarbons in the absence of sunlight or oxygen, serving as food for marine life. These same reactions may have played a role in the origin of life on Earth billions of years ago. The Lost City is made up of towering spires of carbonate rock, some nearly 200 feet tall, formed by a unique geological reaction called serpentinization, where seawater interacts with mantle rock deep below the seafloor. These reactions release methane and hydrogen gas, which fuel microbial life that survives without sunlight or oxygen, something rarely seen on Earth. The site is located approximately nine miles west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge axis, just south of the Azores islands. Its isolated position means it has remained undisturbed by human activity for thousands of years, preserving an ecosystem that offers a window into Earth's earliest conditions. Each hydrothermal vent, nicknamed IMAX, Poseidon, Seeps, and Nature emits warm, alkaline fluids. These create a stable environment for life in one of the most extreme corners of the planet. Now, with renewed global attention, scientists believe the Lost City may help explain how life first formed from non-living matter, an unsolved mystery in biology. The site is located approximately 15 kilometers (about nine miles) west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge axis, just south of the Azores. Its remote position places it far from human interference. Unlike most hydrothermal systems powered by volcanic heat, the Lost City is powered by chemical energy from the Earth's mantle, giving it a distinct structure and chemistry. Inside its towering chimneys, fluids reach up to 194 Fahrenheit, not boiling, but hot enough to fuel chemicals reactions. These vents produce hydrocarbons, organic compounds made from carbon and hydrogen, which are considered the building blocks of life. The site is special because its hydrocarbons form through deep Earth chemical reactions, not sunlight or photosynthesis. This makes the Lost City a rare second example of how life could begin. Microbes inside these chimneys live in total darkness, with no oxygen, using methane and hydrogen as their only fuel. On the outer surfaces, rare animals like shrimp, snails, sea urchins, and eels cling to the mineral-rich structures. Larger animals are uncommon here likely because the energy supply is limited. Unlike surface ecosystems, there's no sunlight or abundant food chain, only chemical nutrients trickling out of the vents. Microbiologist William Brazelton told Smithsonian Magazine: 'This is an example of a type of ecosystem that could be active on Enceladus or Europa right this second.' These are moons of Saturn and Jupiter, which have oceans beneath icy crusts, raising the hope that similar life could exist beyond Earth. Some spires have grown to 60 meters tall over tens of thousands of years. Scientists say they act like natural laboratories, showing how life might arise in environments without sun, plants, or animals. In 2017, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) gave the Polish government a 15-year exploration license for an area of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which includes territory surrounding the Lost City. Though Lost City itself lacks valuable minerals, nearby vent fields may contain polymetallic sulfides, a target for future deep-sea mining. That's where the threat comes in. Mining operations near hydrothermal vents can stir up sediment plumes, releasing toxic chemicals or particles that drift through the water column and harm nearby ecosystems, even if the site itself isn't directly touched. The Convention on Biological Diversity has already designated Lost City as an Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Area (EBSA), based on its uniqueness, biodiversity, and scientific value. Being listed as an EBSA gives scientists leverage to argue for protective measures, though it carries no binding legal protection. Meanwhile, UNESCO is reviewing the site for World Heritage status, which could offer stronger international backing against mining and disturbance. Scientists argue this is urgently needed. Once disturbed, such systems may never recover, and we could lose a living example of how life began.
