Diabetes risk increases for women working overtime

Diabetes risk increases for women working overtime

If you’re a woman, your boss may love the fact you are working overtime but new research says those extra hours are hard on your health.  A study out of Ontario, Canada, found that women clocking in 45 hours or more a week have a 50 percent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. More than 7,000 working adults between the ages of 35 and 74 years old were participants for this research and were followed for 12 years. During this time span, one in 10 people from the study developed diabetes.

The results from this study did not have the same effect on men who worked overtime.  The prevailing reasoning for this is that women are more likely to be doing additional unpaid work (cooking, shopping, cleaning) at home than men. The hours spent on the job eat up time when a woman could be participating in more healthy endeavors such as exercising or taking time to destress. It was also speculated that women who are working long hours may experience increased sleep problems and depression. 

Long work hours are usually not in the best interest of most people.  Extra hours on the job often lead to extra stress, less movement, and more reliance on fast food meals, skipping meals or eating late at night.

The epidemic of diabetes continues to rise.  It is estimated that by 2030, 439 million people worldwide will have diabetes which will reflect an increase of 50 percent from 2010.Type 2 diabetes has many complications that can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, neuropathy, nephropathy, and eye disease.

Researchers speculated that when women work long hours, this may cause a stress response that might lead to hormone imbalances and insulin resistance that could contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.

The results from this study could only show an association between long work hours and diabetes; it was not designed to prove a cause and effect.

Ways women can improve their work-life balance

Here are some ways women working extra hours making it difficult to create a good work-life balance can find that perfect blend.  First, work is simply not for making money – it also should meet your career and emotional needs too. The key to creating a happy balance between hours spent on the job and time for life away from work, is to create goals you are passionate about with respect to health/appearance, career, and relationships.

Never let your job become a higher priority than your health and well-being.  To enjoy your family and other interests, it requires time and energy and putting in long work hours zaps both very quickly. Try these suggestions on improving your work-life balance:

·      Strive for a realistic balance

There is really no perfect balance but there can be realistic balances.  Allow yourself to remain open constantly assessing times you need to focus on work but also times to focus on family or hobbies.

·      Make your health a priority

Your overall health should be your main priority.  This will make you a better employee – you’ll miss less work and when you are there, you’ll be more happy and productive.

·      Like your job

Getting up each day to go to a job you hate is one of the worst things in life.  You may not love every aspect of your job but you need to be enthused and inspired enough to enjoy going to work.  Choosing a occupation you are passionate about helps otherwise you may find your job to be mentally, emotionally, or physically draining. 

·      Take time to unplug

When you get home each night, prevent yourself from immediately getting on social media.  Allow yourself time to recover from a stressful day by taking a 10 minute walk around the block or in a park, or lying down in a quiet room to meditate.