American researchers assert that a fixed work schedule—from nine in the morning to six in the evening—is best for our health.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, professionals around the globe have embraced remote work and the flexibility it offers. Scientists at New York University, however, conducted a study that found unstable work schedules can harm health.
What Scientists Discovered
The research team found that sticking to a traditional work schedule is healthier. To reach this conclusion, the researchers enrolled more than 7,000 participants. They looked at whether employment patterns in early adulthood were linked to sleep quality and overall physical and mental health at age 50.
Those who favored an unstable work schedule reported significantly more sleep problems and depression toward the end of their careers compared with people who kept traditional working hours.
The most striking results appeared among individuals who had a stable schedule in their 20s but switched to a more flexible arrangement in their 30s.
Despite the idea that flexible hours improve work-life balance, the research team says an unstable schedule inevitably leads to sleep disturbances, physical fatigue, and emotional exhaustion. The negative effects of such schedules accumulate over a lifetime, making individuals more vulnerable to chronic disease.
Comment from the Lead Researcher
As the team leader, Professor Wen-Jui Han, noted, about three-quarters of participants did not maintain a stable work schedule throughout their careers.
She said this had consequences: people who abandoned a traditional schedule were more likely to experience sleep deprivation, poorer sleep quality, and lower physical and cognitive functioning. By age 50, they reported worse overall health and more frequent symptoms of depression than those who stuck with a stable schedule.
The researcher also said that people with unstable work schedules ultimately had worse health than people who were not working at all.
“An inconsistent work schedule can become a chronic stressor in our lives,” Professor Wen-Jui Han remarked.
The study’s findings were published in the journal PLOS ONE.
Previous research has suggested that working nontraditional hours disrupts the body’s internal biological clock. As a result, sleep quality suffers, which in turn harms cognitive function.
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