Is your job killing you? All the ways overworking can destroy your health — and what you can do about it
Burning the midnight oil may fatten your paycheck, but your health could be paying the price.
In 2024, Gallup found that the average full-time worker in the US clocked 42.9 hours a week. But millions are logging far more, and the toll is greater than just burnout.
At one Midwestern investment bank, junior employees were allegedly forced to endure grueling 20-hour days — a grind so extreme it sent at least two to the hospital, including one with a failed pancreas.
They’re not alone. In recent years, several cases have emerged in which employees died after being pushed to work 100 hours a week or more, a troubling trend that’s prompted some companies to rethink their breakneck expectations.
Just last year, a 35-year-old Bank of America investment banker named Leo Lukenas III died of a blood clot while job-hunting, bogged down by the stress of his 100+ hour weeks.
The Post consulted seven health experts to find out what spending 60, 70 or even 80+ hours a week behind your desk can do to your body if you’re not careful. Spoiler alert: It’s not pretty.
Problem #1 : Aging skin, acne and even skin cancer
Your skin is your largest organ, and it’s also one of the first to suffer when you work yourself to the bone.
“Working long hours over an extended period is associated with sleep deprivation and chronic stress, both of which are known to have adverse effects on skin health, quality and appearance,” Dr. Helen He, co-director of Mount Sinai-Clinique Healthy Skin Dermatology Center, told The Post.
“These changes will accelerate the skin aging process, weaken the immune system and disrupt the skin barrier, making the skin more sensitive and more vulnerable to inflammation and infection,” He said.
Expect wrinkles, swelling or redness around the eyes, dark circles, drooping eyelids and sagging around the mouth. It can also be a trigger for inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
Plus, elevated cortisol can boost sebum production, clogging pores and leading to breakouts and cystic acne.
And if your office is lit by flickering fluorescent lights, it’s not just annoying — it could be damaging.
“Many fluorescent lights will emit small amounts of UV radiation, or it can leak out,” Dr. Ross Levy, chief of dermatology at Northwell Northern Westchester Hospital, told The Post. “UV is a major cause of aging of the skin as well as being a major contributor to skin cancer.”
And then there’s blue light — the kind emitted by LED bulbs and electronic screens like your phone, tablet or computer.
“[This] has recently been recognized to damage DNA and promote oxidative stress, worsening hyperpigmentation and accelerating skin aging, especially in those with darker skin types,” He said.
And while too much sun exposure is bad, a complete lack of it from being inside all day can also lead to vitamin D deficiency, leaving your skin looking dull and lackluster.
How to fix it:
- Get enough sleep.
- Stay hydrated.
- Eat a balanced diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, fermented foods, and fish.
- Exercise regularly.
- Wear tinted mineral sunscreen with iron oxides, even inside.
- Incorporate tretinoin, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C into your skincare routine, along with the occasional facial or chemical peel.
- Get outside.
Problem #2: Vision issues
The hours you spend staring at your computer screen bathed in blue light is affecting your eyes, too.
“With prolonged viewing of screens, patients can begin to suffer from ailments such as digital eye strain and dry eye syndrome,” Dr. Avnish Deobhakta, an ophthalmologist at New York Eye & Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, told The Post.
“Both can cause dry eyes, blurred vision, headaches, burning sensations and difficulty focusing on things, all of which can be uncomfortable and disconcerting over time,” he said.
How to fix it:
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away “This practice helps to somewhat temporarily rest the eyes,” Deobhakta explained.
- Keep your monitor at least two feet away, with the center of the screen positioned four to five inches below eye level.
- Use over-the-counter eye drops.
- Try prescription glasses specifically for computer work, “which can help reduce accommodative effort and minimize risk of headaches and blurry vision,” according to Dr. Suyeon Yu, an ophthalmologist at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital.
Problem #3: Heart disease
People working 55 hours or more each week face a 35% higher risk of stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from heart disease compared to those working a more typical 35 to 40 hours a week, according to a WHO study.
The same study showed that in 2016 alone, over 745,000 deaths globally were linked to overwork-related heart disease and stroke.
Chronic stress is a major driver: When stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline surge, they raise blood pressure, speed up heart rate, and increase blood sugar and cholesterol. Over time, this constant pressure can wear down the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular events.
But it’s not just stress taking a toll on your heart — long hours often mean sacrificing healthy habits, too.
“If most of your time is spent working, then you have less time for other aspects of your life, such as healthy meals, socializing, sleep and exercise,” Dr. Danielle Qing, an internal medicine specialist at Mount Sinai, told The Post.
This imbalance can lead to weight gain, poor mental health and sleep deprivation — all major stressors on your heart.
Prolonged sitting, common for desk workers, also increases your risk of blood clots, which can lead to a dangerous pulmonary embolism and further strain your heart.
How to fix it:
- Carve out at least 30 minutes a day for physical activity.
- Get seven to nine hours of sleep a night.
- Ditch ultraprocessed foods in favor of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
- Relieve stress with deep breathing, mindfulness, progressive muscle relaxation and journaling.
Problem #4: Weight gain
Logging more than 40 hours a week has been linked to a higher risk of being overweight or obese — and it’s not just because of the office birthday cake.
“Often, people resort to buying fast food options, or very processed foods that are easy to prepare,” Qing said. “These foods are often less nutritious as they are filled with more salt and fat and preservatives.”
Translation: Your 12-hour workday ends with a Quarter Pounder and a side of regret.
Marathon work sessions often mean skipped meals, and by the time you’re finally able to chow down, that intense hunger makes it easy to overeat.
She also said that lack of exercise is a “huge consequence” of being overworked. Studies show that fewer than 1 in 4 Americans get enough physical activity — and many point to work and other obligations as the main reasons they can’t squeeze in time for the gym.
“All these effects can lead to weight gain and development of obesity, which has many negative impacts on the body,” Qing said.
Obesity increases your risk for a laundry list of health issues, from heart disease and diabetes to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, liver disease, sleep apnea and even certain cancers.
How to fix it:
- Get a standing desk.
- Sign up for a meal prep service with healthy food.
- Exercise! Dr. Theodore Strange, chair of medicine at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, told The Post that brisk walking, running or cycling “can help counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting.”
Problem #5: Neck and back pain
If you’ve ever spent hours chained to your desk, you’ve probably felt the familiar twinge in your neck or that nagging ache in your back.
You aren’t alone. Research shows that up to 69% of office workers experience neck pain, and up to 51% struggle with lower back pain. For many, it becomes chronic.
Much of the blame falls on long periods of sitting without breaks, often in awkward positions or with poor posture, which strain the spine, muscles and joints.
A bad work station setup doesn’t help either. Poorly placed screens, chairs at the wrong height and lack of lumbar support can all make the discomfort worse.
To top it off, repetitive motions like nonstop typing can lead to hand and wrist problems, turning daily tasks into a source of chronic pain.
How to fix it:
- Take short breaks throughout the workday to stretch and walk around.
- Use an ergonomic chair, keyboard and mouse to fix your posture and prevent musculoskeletal pain.
- Make sure you have good lighting
Problem #5: Digestion mayem
Prolonged sitting reduces blood flow to your bowels and increases pressure on your digestive system, which can lead to uncomfortable problems like constipation, bloating, gas and cramps.
Chronic stress only worsens the issue. Both cortisol and adrenaline can disrupt your gut, slowing the movement of food through your digestive tract and upsetting the balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria in your intestines.
Over time, this can lead to painful chronic conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome and peptic ulcers.
How to fix it:
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals that are rich in fiber.
- Stay hydrated.
- Add a probiotic or prebiotic supplement to support gut health.
- Incorporate relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation or yoga.
Problem #6: Weakened immunity
Overworking can weaken your immune system, making you an easy target for colds, infections and that seasonal flu circulating around the office, Strange said.
Several factors contribute to this, including chronic stress and lack of sleep, both of which can lower the number and effectiveness of white blood cells, like lymphocytes, that are essential for fighting infections.
Stress also disrupts the gut microbiome, leading to inflammation and a weakened immune response.
How to fix it:
- Aim for seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night.
- Incorporate stress-reducing activities like meditation or yoga.
- Practice good hygiene.
- Limit alcohol and tobacco consumption.
- Stay current on vaccinations.
Problem #7: Depression, anxiety and burnout
All the physical tolls from overworking are compounded by the mental health consequences that can come with too many hours spent on the job.
“Long work hours (beyond even 48 hours weekly) have been correlated with increased chance of developing and struggling with depression and anxiety,” Dr. Anna K. Costakis, psychiatrist at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, told The Post.
Excessive hours can also fuel burnout, a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged or excessive stress.
“There is even evidence to support that there is an increase in suicidal thoughts and actions correlated with longer work hours,” Costakis said.
This stems not only from job stress but also from the positive aspects of life that get pushed aside.
“Socializing and spending time with loved ones is an important part of our mental health, and failing to do so can lead to isolation and loneliness, which can worsen depression and anxiety,” Qing said.
How to fix it:
- Get enough sleep.
- Take “mental health time-outs” to walk, have a meal or chat with a co-worker. Costakis calls this “releasing the valve on the pressure cooker.”
And remember: “It’s imperative to set clear boundaries with work to maintain physical and mental health,” Costakis said.
“For short periods of time, a more stressful couple days of longer work hours can be recalibrated in the following days, but beyond that, any gains aren’t worth the loss in rest and health,” she added.
