A new study published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine has found that being overworked can physically alter the brain, with potential long-term impacts on cognitive and emotional health. Researchers in South Korea investigated how prolonged working hours affect the brain, focusing particularly on regions associated with executive functions and emotional regulation.
The study assessed the brain volume of 110 healthcare workers, divided into two groups: those working over 52 hours per week and those with normal work hours. The results revealed that overworked individuals demonstrated ‘significant changes’ in brain structures linked to cognitive and emotional functions. Dr. Wanhyung Lee, a co-author of the study and assistant professor at Chung-Ang University College of Medicine in Seoul, noted that this was one of the first studies to explore the link between long working hours and structural brain changes.