With over 800,000 global deaths linked to overwork each year, researchers stress the need to rethink limits on work hours.
Working long hours might be doing more than exhausting you—it could be reshaping your brain.
A new study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine reveals that healthcare workers putting in over 52 hours a week show measurable structural changes in brain areas tied to emotional control and decision-making.
Researchers from three South Korean universities scanned the brains of 110 healthcare workers. Those working over 52 hours weekly had up to 19% more volume in certain regions, including the left caudal middle frontal gyrus.
“This study provides novel evidence that overwork is associated with structural brain changes, particularly in regions related to executive function and emotional regulation,” researchers wrote.
While increased brain volume might sound beneficial, scientists caution it may reflect harmful stress adaptations. “These findings suggest that long working hours may induce neuroadaptive changes, potentially impacting cognitive and emotional health,” the study added.
Most affected regions—such as the insula and superior temporal gyrus—are also implicated in depression and anxiety.
Experts say the findings validate workers’ mental struggles and raise serious questions about workplace policy. With over 800,000 global deaths linked to overwork each year, researchers stress the need to rethink limits on work hours.