Are you one of those people who would rather stay late working than go home to rest and relax? Well, if you are, you better stop that kind of lifestyle. The reason? A new study conducted by The Ohio State University revealed that being a workaholic could result in a much higher risk of having life-threatening diseases like arthritis, cancer, diabetes and heart diseases.
Workaholic Women At Risk For Life-Threatening Diseases
Published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the study also found that workaholic women are more prone to the aforementioned illnesses compared to men. In fact, lead study author and health services professor Allard Dembe warned workaholic women in their 20s, 30s and 40s about the dangerous effects of the pressures and stresses of working long hours (more than 60 hours weekly).
"Women -- especially women who have to juggle multiple roles -- feel the effects of intensive work experiences and that can set the table for a variety of illnesses and disability," Dembe said, as per Science Daily. "People don't think that much about how their early work experiences affect them down the road. Women in their 20s, 30s and 40s are setting themselves up for problems later in life."
Why Working Women Find Work Unsatisfying
In addition, Dembe said the study also found that working women, especially moms, may find work less satisfying. The reason for this is the fact that working mothers need to balance the demands of their jobs with family obligations.
The Effects Of Working Long Hours To Men
Unlike workaholic women, the research also found that men who work long hours (41-50 hours weekly) had a lower risk of heart and lung diseases, as well as depression, compared to those who were working for 40 hours or less. Even though researchers didn't find a dramatic increase in risk in men, they did find a rise in arthritis cases in workaholic men, UPI notes.
Addressing The Culture Of Overworking
Despite the fact that it's understandable why people tend to overwork, Dembe highlighted the fact that employees do have a choice to have a healthier work culture. That's why, Dembe urged the employers to be responsible for ensuring that their employees are healthy, even calling the attention of government officials to devote effort to solve the lifestyle of overworking.
Furthermore, Dembe suggested that employers need to provide flexible schedules, in-work health screening, support that could lessen the health risks and health coaching at work, Daily Mail reports. He also emphasized that reducing the pressures and stresses at work do not only boost a person's life expectancy and quality of life, it also reduces healthcare expenditures.
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