Erratic Work Hours Can Harm Your Health Decades Later: Study

Forget just feeling wiped out: Irregular work schedules in your youth might cast a long shadow on your health later in life, according to a new study. While past research has shown downsides to unpredictable hours, this one takes a "life-course" approach, examining how work patterns throughout your young adulthood can impact your health for decades to come.

The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE categorized work schedules: standard (starting at 6 am or later and ending by 6 pm), evening (starting at 2 pm or later and ending by midnight), night (starting at 9 pm or later and ending by 8 am), and variable (including split shifts, rotating shifts, or irregular hours).

"About three-quarters of the work patterns we observed did not strictly conform to working stably during daytime hours throughout our working years," said Dr Wen-Jui Han, the sole author of the study and professor at the Silver School of Social Work at New York University, in an interview conducted by the journal.

Dr Han, whose expertise lies in social welfare policy concerning children and families, emphasized the consequences of such work patterns, saying, "This has repercussions." 

"People with work patterns involving any degree of volatility and variability were more likely to have fewer hours of sleep per day, lower sleep quality, lower physical and mental functions, and a higher likelihood of reporting poor health and depressive symptoms at age 50 than those with stable standard work schedules," Han added.

Additionally, Dr Han explored how these associations were influenced by social factors such as race or ethnicity, gender, and education.

Despite the challenges posed by modern work schedules, health experts suggest there are strategies individuals can employ to alleviate their negative effects.

The study, led by Dr Han, analyzed data from over 7,300 young adults (ages 14-22) followed over time. It found that those who switched from having stable work schedules (starting around 6 am and ending by 6 pm) to irregular or unpredictable schedules between ages 22 and 49 reported the worst health outcomes at age 50. This negative impact was significant, comparable to having a lower-than-high school education. Interestingly, the study suggests that even periods of unemployment were less detrimental to long-term health than consistently irregular work schedules.

The study also revealed racial and gender differences. Black participants were more likely to be assigned schedules linked to poorer health outcomes. Additionally, women reported lower sleep quality despite getting more total sleep hours. While the reasons for these disparities are unclear, the researchers suggest it might be due to "intersectionality" - the combined impact of race, gender, and job security on health. They point out that these findings highlight existing health inequalities, where those with fewer resources face a greater burden from unpredictable work schedules.

The study results aren't exactly "super surprising," but they are "very timely and alarming," said Dr. Xiaoxi Yao, a professor of health services research at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. She wasn't involved in the study.

"People in higher socio-economic status might enjoy the flexibility of working from anywhere at any time, whereas people in the so-called vulnerable social positions might not have a choice," Dr Yao added. "We are often worried about these workers' wages and benefits but this study calls out that the non-standard work schedules and hours might inherently put workers at risk."

While the study reveals a link between work patterns and health outcomes, experts caution it doesn't prove cause and effect. Several theories could explain the association, but further research is needed.

"A person can have some risk factors that make it difficult to both find a stable job and more likely to develop a disease," Dr Yao said. "It is difficult to use the current data to draw a firm conclusion that the work schedules/hours caused the adverse health outcomes."

While switching jobs or schedules might not be an option for everyone, Dr Yao suggests there are other ways to manage the potential downsides of irregular work. These strategies include maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, prioritizing relaxation techniques, and nurturing relationships with loved ones, Dr Yao suggests.