The ill effects of Working overtime
Our life is becoming more complicated as we are advancing with new technology. The learning curve and the working hours are getting the demonic shape. Sometimes to meet both the ends employees need to work extra hours every day. Sometimes because of sheer passion people intend to give their best, hour after hour. This long stretch of work without proper resting phase causes various health issues which, if not checked might have diabolical consequences.
Consequences of overtime on Health:
Overtime may increase cash in your pocket but decreases your precious lifespan by causing harmful effects in your body.
1.Sleep problems
Long working hours can reduce sleep time and disrupt sleep patterns, leading to:
Constant tiredness
Poor concentration
Daytime sleepiness
Irritability
2. Stress and mental fatigue
Working for long periods without adequate breaks can increase:
Stress and anxiety
Mental exhaustion
Difficulty concentrating
Mood changes and irritability
3.Increased risk to heart health
Everything adds up when the desk job takes a toll on your health. Jobs with some physical activities are better than those behind the desk. Regular physical activity is very important. Poor diet and stress from office work brought to home can even deprive a person of proper sleep, which is very much required and necessary. Deprivation of sleep does not recharge the body and mind properly. Hence, you go on working overtime every day with a non-rested and tired body & mind with the result that you will not be able to give your 100% and performance takes a beating. Research suggests that working overtime gives rise to coronary heart disease, angina, and cardiac arrests.
4.Weight gain and metabolic problems
Overtime can leave less time for exercise and healthy meals, potentially contributing to:
Weight gain
Increased blood sugar
Unhealthy cholesterol levels
Metabolic problems
When the job description is to sit all around the day at a desk doing mental work, the employee is prone to abnormal weight gain. There is a lack of regular physical activity causing malfunctioning of metabolism, leading to obesity. Obesity, on the other hand, leads to heart, muscle and bone problems in future. Eating junk food rather than conventional food in the office and over-stress add up to the problem making it more severe. Blood pressure increases more than normal, which is the root of a lot of problems as we all know.
5. Stroke risk
Workers who are accustomed to working 55 hours in a week have a 33% greater chance of getting a stroke than a normal person. Working extra decreases the time to rest. Hence the brain gets very less time to rejuvenate its capability. The stress overload crosses the threshold and causing anomalies like sleep deprivation, loss of thinking capabilities and brain stroke risk increases.
6.Musculoskeletal problems
Sitting or standing for prolonged periods, particularly with poor posture, may cause:
Lower-back pain
Neck and shoulder pain
Joint stiffness
Repetitive strain injuries
7.Weakened recovery and immunity
Insufficient sleep, prolonged stress and inadequate recovery can make you feel run-down and may affect the body’s ability to recover from illness and physical exertion.
8.Impact on personal life
Excessive overtime can reduce time available for:
Family and friends
Exercise and hobbies
Relaxation
Social activities
This can eventually affect relationships and overall quality of life.
9.Lower productivity
Interestingly, working longer doesn’t necessarily mean getting more done. Fatigue can cause more mistakes, slower decision-making and reduced creativity. Chronic overwork can eventually lead to burnout.
10.Occupational hazards:
Jobs involving physical labour other than mental practices weaken the body functions when done more what the body can handle. Research shows that the chance of getting hurt increases when a body is doing heavy work and not getting rest properly. It causes fatigue and mind cannot concentrate properly to coordinate the cognitive functions, hence increasing the chances manifold.
How to reduce the harmful effects
Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep.
Take short breaks during prolonged work.
Get regular physical activity.
Avoid routinely working very long hours.
Maintain regular, nutritious meals.
Keep some time completely free from work.
If possible, set a fixed time to stop working each day.
How to get away from the overtime issues?
The first step is to worry less about your pocket and more about your health. Working 3-4 hours more might help you to meet the financial goals better, but it could end up shortening the number of days in your life for which you need to find a solution. Do regular physical exercises and eat healthily and stick to the habit of going home on time to spend quality time with your family. The touch of the loved ones can work wonders and go a long way in reducing all the worries
Bottom line: Occasional overtime is unlikely to be a major problem, but regular long working hours without sufficient sleep and recovery can have significant effects on physical health, mental wellbeing and relationships.
