A new study has found that regularly working more than 52 hours a week could alter the structure of your brain, potentially impairing areas responsible for memory, problem-solving, and emotional regulation.
Published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the research highlights serious concerns about the neurological and psychological effects of overwork, particularly among healthcare professionals. The study was conducted by researchers, including experts from Yonsei University in South Korea, and focused on how prolonged working hours affect brain structure and mental health.
Using MRI scans and other data, researchers examined the brains of 110 workers. Among them, 32 regularly worked over 52 hours a week, while 78 maintained standard working hours. The findings revealed that those in the overworked group exhibited significant changes in brain regions linked to executive function, planning, decision-making, and emotional control.
“Overworked individuals exhibited significant changes in brain regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation,” the study reported. These areas are essential for performing complex cognitive tasks, managing stress, and maintaining mental clarity—functions often heavily taxed in high-demand professions like healthcare.
Interestingly, the study noted that the group working longer hours tended to be younger, more highly educated, and had less job tenure than those with standard hours. This suggests that early-career professionals might be especially vulnerable to the pressures of overwork, potentially placing them at greater long-term risk for cognitive and mental health challenges.
The researchers emphasized the need for urgent attention to the risks associated with excessive working hours, particularly in demanding sectors such as healthcare. “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,” they wrote.
The findings have sparked renewed calls for action from occupational health experts. Ruth Wilkinson, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), warned of a growing crisis 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, including always having to be available or on duty in this digital age, stripped of the right to disconnect from work outside of normal working hours.”
A recent YouGov survey conducted by IOSH supports these concerns. It found that nearly a quarter of UK workers regularly exceed the legal maximum of 48 working hours per week. Additionally, more than half of respondents reported checking emails and work-related messages outside of their regular working hours, indicating a persistent erosion of work-life boundaries.
Experts are urging employers and policymakers to re-evaluate work expectations, create healthier boundaries, and implement regulations that protect employees from the long-term cognitive and psychological consequences of overwork.
As the modern workplace continues to evolve, particularly in an always-connected digital environment, these findings serve as a stark reminder of the human cost of constant availability and excessive workloads. Protecting brain health, researchers argue, starts with respecting working limits and fostering a culture that values mental well-being as much as productivity.
Read more:
Report revealed how Nigerian women demand better workplace health coverage
Oxford experts reveal 13 ways video games may impact mental health
