The research conducted by Université de Toulouse and Swansea University underscores the profound impact of working shifts on cognitive abilities and memory.
Their findings suggest that enduring such schedules for a decade or more can accelerate brain aging by an additional 6.5 years, adding to the mounting evidence linking non-traditional work hours to various health risks. These risks include cancers, heart attacks, strokes, ulcers, and metabolic diseases like diabetes.
The study, involving 3,000
in south-west France, revealed that those with irregular work hours exhibited significantly lower memory, processing speed, and overall cognitive function compared to those on standard schedules.
Furthermore, individuals enduring over a decade of rotating shifts experienced even more pronounced declines in mental function, equivalent to enduring an extra 6.5 years of age-related cognitive decline compared to their counterparts with regular schedules.
These findings underscore the critical need for further research and policies aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of non-traditional work schedules on health and cognitive function.
