Health Long working hours make us sick

40-hour working week is a "healthy base"
For years, more and more flexible working hours have been discussed. In some professions, workers can schedule when and how long they work. Not in others: In the care sector, for example, 12-hour shifts are often due. As long working hours damage your health, scientists report.

Long working hours endanger your health
For many people, the stress on the job increases. That endangers the health. Too much stress makes us sick, experts warn. Above all, long working hours are a problem. For example, experts have been pointing out for years that more than 40 working hours per week are harmful to health. A new study from Austria also shows that a 40-hour working week can be regarded as a "healthy basis".

According to a new study, the current 40-hour workweek is a "healthy base". Those who work longer endanger their health. (Image: contrastwerkstatt / fotolia.com)

Increased risk especially for women
Those who work too long endanger their health. As a result, increases the risk of stroke, as an international research team reported. Long hours, especially for women, are a health risk, according to a US study.

With more than 40 working hours per week, your risk of heart disease, cancer, arthritis and diabetes increases significantly.

A new study from Austria also concludes that long working hours have negative effects on health.

Long service increases the risk of accidents
The study of Gerhard Blasche and Daniela Haluza of the Medical University (MedUni) Vienna on the state of fatigue of people after a 12-hour working day has shown that these long services lead to a considerable fatigue in the day, which is difficult to break down normally can be.

In addition, they carry health risks and increased risk of accidents and error rates, as the researchers at the Center for Public Health, Department of Environmental Hygiene and Environmental Medicine report.

The study results were published in the journal "International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health".

Fatigue can not be compensated by recovery
In order to arrive at their results, the experts examined the burden of aged carers and geriatric nurses in senior citizen residences in Austria on 12-hour working days.

In a press release they write about the result: "The fatigue increase during a 12-hour day service is three and a half times higher than on a day off, and fatigue in two consecutive 12-hour services continues to increase significantly."

And: "The recovery at the edge of the day is not enough in this case to compensate for this fatigue immediately."

Three days break
According to the researchers, the study shows that after two consecutive days, each with twelve hours of working time, it would take three days to fully recover.

In general, there is a significant line break for practically every person, but no later than the tenth day's work hours - including an increased risk of accidents at work or in traffic.

Therefore, the daily working time should usually not exceed eight hours, so a conclusion from the study.

Current 8-hour scheme is a healthy base
"It shows that our current regulation of an 8-hour day is a healthy basis," says Blasche. Those who work 50 or more hours per week for years have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease or of increasing mental illness, especially women.

"That's probably because of the extra childcare burden," said the expert. Also not useful are longer work days or blocked work.

Because then the performance is due to the advanced fatigue a disproportionately greater effort required, with the associated stress response. In addition, the accumulated fatigue prevents you from enjoying your free time properly.

As stated in the communication, people in our performance-oriented society are generally more inclined to exhaust themselves. Therefore, companies need to be aware that workers are taking breaks and encouraging them to really use them. (Ad)