- Most participants worked a typical nine-to-five hours approximately every week.
- 17% of respondents had worked regular hours.
- Working nights has a bigger influence on sleep quality than working evenings or weekends.
The detrimental consequences of unusual working hours on individuals who adopt them early in their careers are highlighted by a study that was published in PLOS One.
Working hours that deviate from the standard 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule can be detrimental to employees‘ emotional and physical well-being as well as their social and familial relationships. Based on information from the US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth – 1979, the study discovered that most participants worked typical nine-to-five hours approximately every week.
Working irregular hours
On the other hand, 17% of respondents had worked regular hours when they were in their 20s before switching to irregular or “volatile” hours (nights, evenings, and variable hours). Eleven percent of them had a similar work history, having begun their jobs with regular hours before switching to more flexible schedules.
Prof. Han discovered that those who had unusual work schedules in their earlier years experienced a higher rate of health issues in their 50s compared to those who worked 9 am–5 pm. When they turned fifty, they were more likely to exhibit signs of depression and had a history of sleep disturbances.
The long-term negative impacts of irregular work schedules were more pronounced among employed individuals who had consistent work schedules in their twenties before switching to irregular work schedules in their thirties.
Working nights has a bigger influence on sleep quality than working evenings or weekends, and the medical hazards involved differ depending on the schedule. To lessen the hazards connected to alternate work patterns, firms must implement preventive measures.
