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A recent study published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE suggests that the hours worked earlier in life may have lasting implications for health in middle age. Conducted by Wen-Jui Han from New York University, the study provides insights into how employment patterns throughout one’s career can influence physical and mental well-being later in life.
The study, drawing on data from The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-1979 (NLSY79), tracked over 7,000 individuals in the United States over a period of 30 years. By examining employment patterns and health outcomes, Han sought to understand how nonstandard work schedules—such as evening, night, or variable hours—affect sleep, physical health, and mental well-being at age 50.
The findings revealed distinct employment trajectories among participants. While some maintained stable standard hours throughout their careers, others experienced shifts from standard to volatile work schedules or periods of unemployment. Notably, individuals with more volatile work schedules reported poorer sleep quality, shorter sleep duration, and higher rates of depressive symptoms at age 50 compared to those with consistent daytime hours.
Of particular significance was the impact of transitioning from stable work hours in one’s 20s to volatile schedules in later years. This shift was associated with health outcomes comparable to those with lower levels of education, indicating the profound effect of changing work patterns on overall well-being.
Moreover, the study highlighted racial and gender disparities, with Black Americans and females more likely to experience volatile work schedules linked to adverse health outcomes. These findings underscore the disproportionate burden borne by certain demographic groups due to employment patterns, contributing to health inequities.
Han emphasized the detrimental effects of volatile work schedules on sleep, physical fatigue, and emotional well-being, suggesting that precarious employment arrangements could undermine efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The study sheds light on the cumulative impact of work schedules over a lifetime and underscores the need to address social inequalities exacerbated by employment conditions.
In a statement, Han noted, “Work that is supposed to bring resources to help us sustain a decent life has now become a vulnerability to a healthy life due to the increasing precarity in our work arrangements in this increasingly unequal society.” The study’s findings call for greater attention to the health implications of evolving employment structures and the need for equitable access to healthy working conditions for all individuals.
For more details on the study, refer to the publication titled “How our longitudinal employment patterns might shape our health as we approach middle adulthood—US NLSY79 cohort” in PLOS ONE.
