Working a job with unusual hours could impact your health later in life

BOSTON – A new study finds working unusual hours can impact your health later in life.

Previous studies have found that working outside a traditional nine-to-five workday can have a negative effect on physical health, mental health, and family life, but researchers at NYU found the effects can persist even when people switch to jobs with more normal hours.

They looked at data on more than 7,000 adults over 30 in the U.S. and found that compared to those who worked more traditional hours, people with more volatile work schedules, like working overnights or early morning shifts, had lower sleep quality and were more likely to report depressive symptoms at age 50. They also found that Black Americans were more likely to have unusual work schedules associated with poorer health, suggesting that some groups are disproportionately affected.  

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.