Depression Risk Increases With Hours Worked in Stressful Jobs

Long hours in stressful jobs don’t just cause exhaustion; they can increase depression symptoms and affect mental health. Research continues to show how work demands impact well-being, especially in healthcare settings.

How Long Work Hours Increase Depression Risk

A new study in New Doctors found that depression increases for those who work increased hours in stressful jobs. In fact, working 90 or more hours a week was linked with increased symptoms of depression that were three times higher than those working 40-45 hours a week.

Workers who worked long hours more frequently qualified for a diagnosis of severe depression than their colleagues that worked shorter hours, highlighting the need for therapy and counseling support.

The University of Michigan research group who studied depression related to work hours employed a randomized clinical trial and advanced statistical methods. Those working stressful jobs for 40-45 hours a week had an increase in depression symptoms that exploded when work hours reached 90 or more.

This particular study was long-term, spanning 11 years and evaluating more than 17,000 first-year medical residents across the United States.

This study comes as a mental health crisis, pervasive to health care professionals such as physicians, nurses, and mental health professionals. This may indicate a need to decrease the number of hours many people work in health care, and raises concern for counseling resources in Albuquerque and beyond.