Due to the pressure and lifestyle changes we tend to sleep less and work more. This could cause adverse effects on our health. A new study shows that a poor work-life balance in midlife may have negative consequences decades later.
Several studies have shown that long working hours are bad for one's health, with adverse effects on cardiovascular and mental health. However, flexible working hours and schedules have positive effects on health and well-being.
The normal sleeping schedule considered was 9 hours, but today it has fallen to around 7 hours which is very bad for health. Lack of sleep could cause a higher risk of stroke, heart diseases, mental disorders, anxiety and depression.
Some studies have shown that individuals who work 55 hours or more per week have a 1.3 times higher risk of a stroke. Lack of sleep has also been linked to many cardiovascular diseases and increased risk of death.
Despite the known adverse effects of sleep deprivation and prolonged working schedules, no study has examined the combined effect of these two factors on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
Researchers wanted to determine the effects of midlife sleep deprivation and long working hours on physical functioning and overall HRQoL in later life. They monitored the HRQoL of 1,527 businessmen born between 1919-1934. They gathered data in 1974 and then again 26 years later.
In older age, participants scored lower on the RAND scale for physical functioning, vitality, and general health, compared with those who had normal work and sleep patterns.
Businessmen with long work hours but normal sleep patterns still had lower scores for physical functioning in older age, taking into account midlife smoking, and other unrelated health issues, the negative effect on physical functioning remained significant.
Cutting down on work hours and getting plenty of rest as early in life as possible would mitigate adverse health effects in older age.
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