Scientists discover overworking can cause brain damage
Experts found that being 'overworked' alters the structure of the brain in areas linked to thinking, social skills, and mental health.
The group looked at the impact of overworking on specific brain regions in health workers who regularly clocked up a 52-hour week or more.
The researchers drew on data from a long-term study looking at worker health and used MRI scans to examine brain structure.
Around 110 workers, mostly clinicians, were included in the final analysis which was published in the journal Occupational And Environmental Medicine.
Of these, 32 worked excessive weekly hours, while 78 worked standard hours.
Those putting in long working hours every week were significantly younger, had spent less time in work and were more highly educated than those clocking up standard hours.
The researchers said: 'Overworked individuals exhibited significant changes in brain regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation.'
Analysis showed a 19 per cent increase in left caudal middle frontal gyrus volume in the overworked group compared with the non-overworked group.
This part of the brain plays a major role in several cognitive functions, particularly those occurring in the frontal lobe.
The area of the brain is involved in attention, working memory, and language-related processing.
Other areas involved in attention, planning and decision-making were also changed in those working more hours according to the scans, plus regions involved in emotional processing, self-awareness, and understanding social context.
The team concluded: 'This study provides preliminary evidence that overwork is associated with structural brain changes, particularly in regions linked to cognition and emotion.
'These findings provide novel neurobiological evidence linking prolonged working hours to structural brain changes, emphasising the need for further research to understand the long-term cognitive and emotional implications of overwork.
'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: 'Global analysis from the World Health Organisation and International Labour Organisation has found that working long hours is on the increase and is responsible for about one-third of the total estimated work-related burden of disease.
'We believe 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.
'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….
'Our YouGov survey, last year, showed that nearly a quarter of UK workers regularly work more than the legal maximum people should work in the UK (48 hours a week), while 44 per cent said working more than your contracted hours is part of the culture in their organisation.
'More than half said they regularly check work emails and messages outside of working hours.
'We want to see employers strip away the 'small print', identify and tackle psycho-social risks as part of risk assessment processes and become more transparent in how they treat their workers.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Can't stick to exercise? Your personality may be to blame – the best workouts for 5 key types
EXERCISE that suits your personality type could help you stick to it, a study suggests. Doing something that doesn't match your personality, however, could see you fall off the wagon much quicker. 1 In research, scientists often use the Big 5 personality types. They are: Conscientiousness: This describes someone who is responsible, careful, and goal- and detail-oriented. They have high impulse control and tend to be organised Agreeableness: This describes a person who is respectful, compassionate, trusting and tries to avoid problems. They tend to be more cooperative and are helpful Neuroticism: This describes someone who gravitates toward unsettling emotions, such as anxiety and depression. They get upset easily Openness: This describes a person who is open to new experiences and curious about the world. They are creative and happy to talk about abstract ideas Extraversion or Extroversion: This describes someone who seeks excitement and is active and highly sociable. They are talkative, have a lot of emotional expressiveness and are energised around others University College London (UCL) recruited 132 volunteers, of which 86 people finished the study. They were put on an exercise programme for eight weeks in which they did three weekly cycles of varying intensity, and one bodyweight strength workout. Participants' benchmark fitness levels and stress were assessed at the beginning of the programme. During the exercise programme, participants were asked to rate their enjoyment of each exercise session, before having their fitness level tested again once the programme had been completed. Researchers found extroverts tended to enjoy high intensity workouts - i.e short bursts of activity with short rests between, usually over a shorter workout. Those with strong neuroticism, which measures emotional stability and the tendency for anxiety or mood swings, preferred bursts of activity rather than prolonged intensity. They also preferred not being monitored or recording their heart rate, which suggests they prefer to exercise alone or with independence. Professor Paul Burgess, an author of the study from the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, said: 'We found that people who scored more highly in the neuroticism personality trait showed a particularly strong reduction in stress when they undertook the fitness training recommended in the study. "This suggests that there may be particular benefits in stress reduction for those with this trait.' Conscientious people tend to have a well-rounded fitness level - scoring higher on tests. They didn't have more enjoyment for any form of exercise, which the researchers suggested meant that they are driven by the positive health outcomes, rather than enjoyment of exercise. They may have stuck to the programme because it was 'good for them'. People who were high in the agreeableness trait enjoyed the easy long rides in the exercise programme and openness predicted less enjoyment of HIIT rides and threshold rides (moderate intensity over a long period). But these effects were not strong. Dr Flaminia Ronca, of UCL's surgery and interventional science and the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health (ISEH), said: 'We know that the global population is becoming increasingly sedentary. 'You often hear about people trying to become more active, but struggling to make lasting changes. 'We found some clear links between personality traits and the type of exercise the participants enjoyed most, which I think is important because we could potentially use this knowledge to tailor physical activity recommendations to the individual.' In the paper, published in Frontiers in Psychology, the researchers concluded that the most important thing people can do to improve their activity levels is to find something that they enjoy, which will make it more likely that they'll stick with it. How much exercise should you do and when? There are guidelines issued by the NHS and the Government regarding how much exercise people should do each day. People should be active daily, and avoid sitting for long periods. The NHS recommends an adults – those aged 19 to 64 – should aim for 150 minutes of 'moderate intensity activity' a week. This works out to 21 minutes a day, or 30 minutes five days a week. Or, they could do 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, which could be less than 11 minutes per day or 25 minutes three days a week. Adults should also aim to do strength exercises twice a week, at least. Examples of moderate-intensity activities include brisk walking, water aerobics, riding a bike, dancing, doubles tennis, pushing a lawn mower, hiking or rollerblading. Examples of vigorous activities include running, swimming, riding a bike fast or on hills, walking up the stairs, sports, like football, rugby, netball and hockey, skipping, aerobics, gymnastics or martial arts. Things like lifting heavy weights, sprinting up hills, spin classes or circuit training are considered very vigorous. What time should you exercise? Getting exercise into your day, no matter what time is a good idea. But you may want to be more selective depending on your goal. A 2023 US study on 5,285 middle-aged adults showed exercising between 7 and 9 am was the best time if you're looking to lose weight. Researchers found that early-bird gym goers had a lower body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference than those working out later. A 2022 study led by Prof Paul J Arciero, Skidmore College, New York, found that the optimal time of day to get your kit on might differ according to your gender. Prof Arciero said women wanting to lose fat around their belly and hips would do better to hit the gym in the morning, but those seeking to gain upper body strength or simply improve their mood might see more results from evening exercise. The results were the opposite for men. If you struggle to get to sleep, it's been found that exercise in the morning may help, but exercise in the evening may help you to stay asleep. Exercise, generally, can improve sleep quality.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
What your favourite exercise tells you about your personality - and it's bad news for those who enjoy HIIT
Whether we're at home, outdoors or in the gym, many of us dread certain forms of exercise while looking forward to others. Now, a new study reveals that this could all be down to our personality type. In experiments, scientists at the University College London assessed the temperaments of more than 100 people and their preferred type of exercise. They found high-intensity interval training (HIIT) – which combines quick bursts of intense exercise combined with short recovery periods – is typically favoured by shameless extroverts who love to be seen. Meanwhile, those who prefer short exercise sessions conducted alone are likely neurotic – meaning they're prone to negative or obsessive thoughts. According to the researchers, tailoring our exercise routines to our personality can help us stick to our regimes and ultimately get fit. 'You often hear about people trying to become more active, but struggling to make lasting changes,' said first author Dr Flaminia Ronca at University College London. 'We found that our personality can influence how we engage with exercise, and particularly which forms of exercise we enjoy the most.' For the study, Dr Ronca and colleagues recruited 132 volunteers from the general public with a range of fitness levels and backgrounds. Participants were assigned to either an eight-week home-based cycling and strength training course or a 'resting' control group who continued with their usual lifestyle. Throughout the experiments, participants had their fitness and stress levels assessed and completed a questionnaire on how much they'd enjoyed training sessions. To assess personality, participants were tested for levels of the 'big five' traits – openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. The 'big five' personality traits are the best accepted and most commonly used model of personality in academic psychology. Unsurprisingly, participants who completed the fitness course got fitter and stronger regardless of how the scored on the personality test. But crucially, the researchers found several connections between personality traits and enjoyment of certain forms of exercise. For example, extroverts tended to particularly enjoy high intensity exercise, such as high intensity interval training (HIIT) and a fitness test of maximum intensity cycling. What is high intensity interval training (HIIT)? High intensity interval training (HIIT) involves short bursts of intense exercise alternated with recovery periods. It can be done both aerobically (demanding oxygen intake, such as brisk walking) or anaerobically (such as weightlifting). HIIT has claimed a spot in the top 10 fitness trends since 2014 as surveyed by the American College of Sports Medicine. Meanwhile, conscientiousness was linked with aerobic exercise (repetitive activity that uses oxygen and increases your heart rate, such as brisk walking) and core strength exercises (which strengthen the core muscles). Conscientious people were also found to be generally more physically active, the team said, but are likely driven by the health-related outcomes of engaging in physical activity rather than enjoyment. And people who scored highly on neuroticism – a personality trait associated with worrying and anxiety – preferred short bursts of activity rather than a prolonged effort. Neurotic individuals also preferred private workouts and not being monitored, such as not having their heart rate recorded, while they were undertaking the programme. This finding suggests that neurotic individuals appreciate being given space for independence and privacy when engaging in exercise. Interestingly, the only group to experience a significant reduction in stress levels after exercising were those who scored highly for neuroticism. This suggests exercise is particularly effective at reducing stress for neurotic people, but less so for people with other personality traits. The researchers also found those scoring high on openness – characterised by creativity, curiosity, and willingness to learn – rated strenuous exercise as less enjoyable than other activities. The study found several correlations between exercise type and personality traits, including extroverts' enjoyment of high intensity exercise While not all personality traits had a link to exercise enjoyment, the new study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, can help people opt for types of exercise that fit their personalities. This tactic could make working out feel more enjoyable, which might mean we stick to it for longer and ultimately get healthier. 'Our brains are wired in different ways, which drives our behaviours and how we interact with our environment,' said Dr Ronca. 'So it's not surprising that personality would also influence how we respond to different intensities of exercise. 'We could potentially use this knowledge to tailor physical activity recommendations to the individual – and hopefully help them to become and remain more active.'
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Millions of tonnes of toxic sewage sludge spread on UK farmland every year
Millions of tonnes of treated sewage sludge is spread on farmland across the UK every year despite containing forever chemicals, microplastics and toxic waste, and experts say the outdated current regulations are not fit for purpose. An investigation by the Guardian and Watershed has identified England's sludge-spreading hotspots and shown where the practice could be damaging rivers. Sludge – the solid matter left over after sewage treatment – is laden with Pfas 'forever chemicals', flame retardants, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and toxic waste from homes and industry. Water companies rebrand it as biosolids and give or sell it to farmers as a nutrient-rich fertiliser. It is spread over vast areas under light-touch regulation and minimal scrutiny, unmonitored for toxic substances. 'On the outside it appears to be 'black gold' – containing nitrogen and phosphates valuable for soil,' a water industry expert said. 'But hidden within it are microplastics, Pfas forever chemicals, endocrine disruptors, pharmaceuticals and heavy metals.' About 87% of the UK's 3.6m tonnes of sewage sludge is applied to farmland. An Environment Agency (EA) officer, speaking anonymously, said: 'People have seen the sewage in rivers … they need to know about the sludge, where it goes and what's in it.' The water industry's own chemicals investigation programme found hormone-damaging nonylphenols and phthalates, the banned carcinogen PFOS, antibiotics, antimicrobials and anti-corrosion chemicals in every sample tested from 11 treatment works. Scientists from Cardiff and Manchester universities estimate that 31,000 to 42,000 tonnes of microplastics are spread on European farmland annually via sludge, with the UK possibly facing the worst contamination. Rules set in 1989 require testing only for a few heavy metals, and EA insiders say they are 'not fit for purpose'. The investigation identified about 34,000 registered sites in England where sludge is stored, usually before being spread at the same site or on a field nearby, although it can sometimes be transported long distances. Of these, about 33,000 sites are defined as being agricultural land. In 2023 alone, more than 768,000 tonnes of dry solids were spread across 152,000 hectares. Figures from the past decade consistently fall between 715,000 and 800,000 tonnes. Some counties are more affected than others: Hampshire, Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire and Essex have the highest number of sites, with 6,371 between them. Sludge-spreading is governed by waste exemptions, allowing companies to store or apply waste on land without an environmental permit, provided certain conditions are met such as avoiding significant risk to water, soil, air or wildlife. But enforcement is weak. 'No one checks. No one cares,' said one EA insider. An EA officer explained that sludge toxicity depends on local sources: 'Anywhere with an industrial estate will likely produce more contaminated sludge than a rural area.' Industrial waste, such as landfill leachate, is often tankered into sewage works, mixed with domestic waste, and the resulting sludge is spread under the same rules as any biosolid. Contaminated fields become silent sources of pollution. Even uncontaminated sludge can be a problem if mismanaged. When too many nutrients reach rivers, they fuel algal blooms that block sunlight and starve aquatic life of oxygen – a process called eutrophication. The investigation found that one in 20 sludge storage sites in England are within 100 metres of a river, and 1,277 sites are within 500 metres of waters already classed as eutrophic by the EA. The investigation found that 73% of all sludge sites – 23,844 – are within nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs), where strict rules apply due to pollution risks. In England, no rivers meet chemical standards and just 14% meet ecological ones. Sludge-spreading occurs in Wales and Scotland, too. Almost a quarter of sludge storage sites in Scottish locations that could be identified are within NVZs. A study from the James Hutton Institute found microplastic levels rose by 1,450% after four years of sludge-spreading in North Lanarkshire and remained elevated 22 years later. In Northern Ireland, most sludge is incinerated. Richard Benwell, Wildlife and Countryside Link's chief executive, said: 'Though sludge could be a beneficial fertiliser, it is mixed with the dregs of chemical pollutants. Damaging Pfas, BPA and glyphosate are prevalent in sludge. Regulation must be strengthened to protect public health and the environment.' Prof Rupert Hough, of the James Hutton Institute, said: 'At the moment, sludge will only be checked for metals and the receiving environment is checked for metals but I don't think it gets checked rigorously. 'We all put chemicals down the drain, take medicines – these end up in the sludge and on land, and can enter the food chain.' He said the alternative options – landfilling and incineration – had capacity limits and high costs. 'The cost of removing chemicals from sludge is also prohibitively expensive … the industry has few options,' he said. A water industry source said: 'Colleagues in the industry are not out to commit evil in their public service of water management. They're just constrained by a lack of research and development.' A spokesperson for Water UK said water companies were backing research and trialling new uses for bioresources, including as aviation fuel. 'The UK has banned some products with microplastics – we need the same for Pfas, plus a national cleanup plan funded by polluting manufacturers. Contaminants cross borders, which is why we're calling for coordinated action across Europe.' Shubhi Sharma, of the charity Chem Trust, said the government used lack of funding as an excuse for 'failing to prevent our farmlands from being poisoned'. She called for tighter chemical restrictions and a 'polluter pays' model. 'France has already introduced taxes for Pfas polluters. The UK should follow,' she said. The EA said sludge must not harm soil or water, and that it enforced strict rules, including through more than 4,500 farm inspections last year, resulting in more than 6,000 pollution-reducing actions. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it wanted safe, sustainable sludge use and it has launched an independent water commission to review the regulatory framework in collaboration with the EA, farmers and water companies.
