The toll of nonstandard work schedules

Wen-Jui Han from New York University recently published a study in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, suggesting that our early work hours may have an impact on our health later in life. Wen-Jui Han from New York University conducted the study, analyzing data from over 7,000 individuals in the US over a 30-year period to understand the impact of different work schedules on health outcomes.

The findings revealed that individuals with nonstandard work schedules, such as evening, night, or variable hours, tended to experience poorer sleep, physical health issues, and higher levels of depressive symptoms by the time they reached age 50 compared to those who worked traditional nine-to-five hours throughout their careers.

Interestingly, the study noted that those who started with stable work hours in their 20s but later shifted to volatile schedules in their 30s faced particularly significant health challenges.

Han, the lead researcher, suggests that unstable work schedules can lead to poor sleep, physical fatigue, and emotional exhaustion, ultimately impacting overall health. This study underscores how work patterns can contribute to health inequities, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women, black individuals, and those with lower levels of education.

In today's society, where work arrangements are increasingly precarious, the study emphasises the importance of considering the long-term health implications of different work schedules and the need for policies to address these disparities.