Overtime workers twice as likely to suffer depression
If you are a workaholic, please take note: People who work for 11 hours or more a day are twice as likely to suffer depression, says a new study.
Researchers from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and University College London found that the odds of a major depressive episode are more than double for those working 11 or more hours a day compared to those working seven to eight hours a day.
For their study, the researchers followed about 2,000 middle aged British civil servants and found a "robust" link between overtime work and depression.
The correlation was not affected when the analysis was adjusted for various possible confounders, including socio-demographics, lifestyle, and work-related factors, the Daily Telegraph reported.
There have been a number of studies in the past, with varying results, but the researchers emphasise that it is hard to compare results across these studies because the cut-off for "overtime" work has not been standardised.
Dr Marianna Virtanen, who led the study, said: "Although occasionally working overtime may have benefits for the individual and society, it is important to recognise that working excessive hours is also associated with an increased risk of major depression."
The study was published in the online journal PLoS ONE.
