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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : June 24, 2021 5:27 PM IST
Image credits by: The sunlight coming from the windows is not sufficient to provide enough Vitamin D.
In a first global analysis of the loss of life and health associated with working long hours, WHO and ILO estimated that, in 2016, 398 000 people died from stroke and 347 000 from heart disease as a result of having worked at least 55 hours a week. Between 2000 and 2016, the number of deaths from heart disease due to working long hours increased by 42%, and from stroke by 19%. COVID may have made things worse. The correlation between long working hours and deaths from stroke and heart disease are known. However, the combination of long working hours, online participation at work and 'zoom fatigue' are yet to be determined. In an exclusive interview with The HealthSite, Dr. Tilak Suvarna, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai has raised concern that longer working hours during the pandemic may result in a surge of heart disease.
Videoconferencing is a good thing for remote communication, but just because you can use video doesn't mean you have to. With your physical person reduced to one box on a screen, people are feeling the pressure to emote more. This causes a whole range of complications. Professor Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of the Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab (VHIL), examined the psychological consequences of spending hours per day on these platforms. He explains four reasons why these video chats are exhausting.
Long working hours are a serious health hazard and are known to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases like coronary heart disease and stroke.
"Electronic use can disrupt sleep. If there's one aspect that impacts heart health the most, it would be this," Dr. Suvarna told The HealthSite.
He explained, "Screens such as those on smartphones emit blue light, which can increase feelings of alertness. Working late hours means the body is craving for rest. Less time for exercise or physical activity can increase the risk of heart disease. Irregular work hours could lead to irregular food timings and unhealthy eating habits. Further, higher level of mental stress is a likely risk factor for heart attack and stroke."
Zoom and other video-conference services present many communication pitfalls an inability to read body language, faces that move into different spots on the screen, a chat feature to accommodate side comments and transmission delays that hinder turn-taking. "You are always making a judgment about how much to speak, whether it is your turn to speak, etc," said Dr. Suvarna.
This is in addition to the work you need to do. But with these as the only option, Zoom's revenues increased 88 percent to $623 million in FY20.
"The above factors are amplified during the current Covid-19 epidemic, with a large majority of people confined to and working from their homes. The boundaries between homes and workplaces have become blurred. There are no fixed times of official work. Employees are expected to be at beck and call even at odd hours. With an increasing number of lay-offs, the remaining personnel are overburdened with work. Thus, along with Covid-related reasons per se, longer working hours may well result in a surge of heart disease," added Dr Suvarna.
Disclaimer: The content on TheHealthSite.com is only for informational purposes. It is not at all professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for any questions regarding your health or a medical condition.