Experts warn that working long hours can increase your risk of heart disease, lower back pain, and type 2 diabetes—and the tipping point might be sooner than you think.

Nurses take brief refuge during a shift break in Mon, Belgium. Working long hours as many medical professionals did during the pandemic can take a serious toll on your body—affecting your mental health and even increasing your risk of heart disease.

Photograph by Cedric Gerbehaye, Nat Geo Image Collection

ByRachel Fairbank

August 2, 2024

Increased stress. Anxiety. Lower back pain. High blood pressure. If you’ve been working long hours at the office, then you might be intimately acquainted with some of the ways that overwork can have an impact on your health.

But even as debate rages over whether it’s time to switch to a four-day workweek, some workplaces are headed the other direction: In July, Greece passed legislation allowing some employers to mandate a six-day workweek, while Samsung is requiring its executives to work a six-day week. This raises the question of what impact working long hours has on the body.

In 2021, the World Health Organization and International Labor Organization released a report that looked at the health risks of overwork. The report found that working long hours, defined as more than 55 hours a week, was responsible for 745,000 deaths from stroke and heart disease in 2016—a 29 percent increase since 2000.  

“There’s sufficient data to show that excessive work is the first occupational disease in the world,” says Alexis Descatha, a researcher at the Hospital and University of Angers-Inserm, based in France. As research is showing, even a 40-hour workweek, which has long been upheld as the standard for work-life balance, may not be as good for our health as we once thought.   

The hidden consequences of overwork

The health effects of overwork can be both direct and indirect. The stress associated with working long hours can have a direct impact on your health, by keeping your body in a constant state of flight-or-flight. This in turn leads to raised cortisol levels, which affects blood sugar levels, and alters the immune system.

Over time, if this stress becomes chronic, it can lead to a number of health issues, such as high blood pressure, headaches, anxiety, depression, digestive issues, heart disease, heart attack, stroke, or sleep disturbances.  

Working long hours can also have an indirect effect, by taking away the time that a person can use to engage in healthy activities. “When you work too much, you don’t have time to sleep well, to eat well, to play sports,” Descatha says. By replacing leisure time activities, such as going for a walk or spending time with family, with more work, this can compound the negative health effects.  

As research is showing, these negative health impacts might not start showing up years down the road. In the report released by the WHO and ILO, the majority of deaths related to overwork were in workers over the age of 60, who had reported working 55 hours or more while younger.

“Ten years seems to be the point at which we really see a step increase” in the cumulative health effects of overwork, says Grace Sembajwe, a researcher at Indiana University School of Public Health in Bloomington, Indiana. For those who work long hours over a shorter period—finishing up a stressful project, for example—the health effects are lesser, and can be mitigated if they stop working long hours.   

Although the strongest effects are seen in workers who work more than 55 hours a week, Sembajwe notes these effects are also seen in workers who work more than 40 hours a week.

“Even the 40-hour week isn’t that great, from a health perspective,” Sembajwe says. As research is showing, reduced workweeks result in better life quality, improved sleep, and reduced stress. As a result, some countries are starting to put in protections for shorter workweeks and longer vacation times. This includes Iceland, where 86 percent of workers have a four-day workweek, and Denmark, which has an official 37-hour workweek, with five weeks of mandated vacation time per year.  

How sitting too long increases your risk 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, civilian workers sit an average of 3.46 hours a day. For office workers, this number might be as much eight to 10 hours a day, while for manual labor jobs, this might be as little as one hour a day.

For office workers, spending long hours sitting at a desk can have an effect over time, by increasing their risk for developing a number of chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes.  And that risk only increases the longer you spend at work. “If you increase your working hours, you are increasing your sitting time,” says Aidan Buffey, a researcher at the University of Limerick in Ireland, whose research focuses on the health effects of sedentary time in office workers.

How much sitting is too much? As Buffey notes, the tipping point seems to be somewhere around eight to 10 hours a day, with sedentary time greater than 11 hours leading to a much higher risk of developing health issues. For workers who follow up their sedentary time at work with sedentary activities such as watching TV during their free time, this can quickly add up to greater than eight hours a day.  

Office workers are also at a higher risk for certain overuse injuries, such as neck or lower back pain, due to sitting for long hours every day. “Sitting is a stressful position for your spine,” says Ryan Steiner, a physical therapist at the Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio.  

These health issues can be offset by exercise, with the risks noticeably decreasing in people who get an average of 150 to 300 minutes of physical activity a week. These effects can also be offset by taking short breaks throughout the day, whether it’s walking for a few minutes or shifting to a standing desk.  

The physical activity paradox 

For people working in manual labor, however, the increased physical activity can work against them, a phenomenon known as the physical activity paradox. Although increased physical activity in your leisure time helps guard against cardiovascular disease, increased physical activity as part of work actually increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.  

Researchers are still trying to understand the reasons for this paradox but one possible explanation is that, unlike in your leisure time, workers don’t have control over the length and intensity of their physical activity.

“The body is in a bit of chronic stress,” Buffey says. “They’re also not able to recover because they have to go back to work the next day.” The effects of chronic stress can also be compounded by other lifestyle factors, such as not being able to eat a balanced diet or prioritize sleep.

(7 tips for getting better sleep.)

Elite athletes, on the other hand, don’t see a negative effect from their high levels of physical activity. This can likely be attributed to the fact that in order to maintain their athletic performance, they have to prioritize rest, recovery, and good nutrition outside of work.  

Working conditions matter—and flexibility makes a difference 

Your working environment can either amp up the stress of working long hours or it can offset those health risks. 

As research is showing, workers who have greater control over their working environment—such as being able to control the pace at which they work or the number of responsibilities that they take on— report less stress compared to their peers with less control. This in turn translates to better health outcomes, such as a decreased risk of heart disease. “We do know that jobs with high demand and low control are associated with cardiovascular disease,” Sembajwe says.  

Employees who have flexibility over their work schedule, which includes being able to adjust it as needed to accommodate the demands of their home life, have better mental health than employees who don’t have control over their schedule. As research shows, this effect is true, even when comparing employees who work a similar number of hours each week.

“Work flexibility itself, independent of numbers of hours worked, independent of paid time off, is negatively correlated with depression or anxiety,” says Pearl McElfish, a researcher at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, in Little Rock, Arkansas. “People who have that flexibility report less anxiety and depression than people who don’t have that flexibility.”  

 As it turns out, when it comes to working to live, rather than living to work, we all stand to benefit from a shorter, more flexible workweek.

Trek through alpine peaks, underground caves, and historic battlefields in this under-the-radar adventure hot spot.

From scenic walks around Lake Bled to towering mountain peaks, Slovenia has trails fit for all hiking levels.

Photograph by Ciril Jazbec

Europe has long been a popular vacation destination, be it for a steamy summer vacation or a Christmas market train journey. For hiking enthusiasts, Europe offers a seemingly endless bounty of trekking trips, from gentle levada walks in Madeira to the long-distance Camino de Santiago hiking pilgrimage. Yet, while Scotland, Portugal, and Spain often receive much of the attention, Slovenia has slowly been rising as a premiere hiking destination.

Nestled between Italy, Austria, and Croatia, and bumping up against the Adriatic Sea, Slovenia offers the same world-class wine, gastronomy, and sky-high mountain peaks the region is known for, yet at lower prices and with fewer crowds. Whether you’re seeking a strenuous trek to tackle alone or a gentle hiking itinerary for the whole family, here’s where to hike in Slovenia.

(Related: See Madeira’s dramatic landscapes)

Best hikes for beginners

If you’ve ever seen a picture of Slovenia, there’s a good chance it included a quiet, crystalline lake with towering snow-capped mountains in the background. This is Slovenia’s most iconic destination, Lake Bled. And, while most visitors tend to not stray far from their hotel balcony or the walkable waterfront path, it’s actually an excellent hiking destination.

According to Wilderness Travel Slovenia trip leader, Zuzana Sochorova, Lake Bled is especially well-suited for beginners because “it’s the ideal place to incorporate a few short hikes into a wider itinerary.” Sochorova describes the lake region as being surrounded by short, easy walks and hikes with minimal elevation gain that still reward visitors with stunning views.

The picture-perfect lake and red-roofed island church (visited by Venetian-style gondola, of course) tend to be on the must-see list of most travelers to Slovenia, so Bled is a practical place to hike and to also do a bit of everything else.

Challenging and multi-day treks

Triglav National Park, covering much of the Julian Alps, is Slovenia’s only national park and it’s the best place to head for challenging routes. The park takes its name from Slovenia’s highest peak, Triglav, which stands tall and proud at 9,396 feet. Its mountain ridge treks are a great place to spot chamois and ibex (large Alpine goat-like animals) and golden eagles. Sochorova explains that “summiting it is a challenge even for very experienced hikers, as it is a very technical hike, requiring the use of a Via Ferrata.”

Although it is technically possible to summit Triglav in one day, Sochorova warns against this. Instead, she suggests tackling the trek in two days and overnighting in Slovenia’s highest mountain lodge, Triglavski Dom na Kredarici.

For long-distance hiking, embark on a hut-to-hut hiking adventure or head to the Alpe-Adria Trail, a 460-mile trail traversing the borders of Slovenia, Austria, and Italy. The Slovenian sections take you from the fairytale-like forests of the Soča Valley to the wine region in the western part of the country.

(Related: Could this be Europe’s best hut-to-hut hiking trail?)

Cave hiking in Slovenia

With 13,000 caves (and counting), Slovenia is a country of caves. The Swiss cheese-like landscape below-ground runs throughout the country and offers hikes for all different abilities. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest cave systems in the world, Skocjanske Jame (Skocjan Caves) is a rewarding option even for hikers with minimal interest in caves. Underground paths, boardwalks, and steep staircases guide visitors through the enormous 3.8-mile cave system and above the rushing Reka River. At one point in the route, you cross a below-ground bridge high above the river, so this route may not be ideal for someone with a fear of heights.

Another option is Postojna Cave, located near the largest cave castle in the world, Predjama Castle, a medieval castle set into a cliff. A kid-friendly train brings you into the cave to walk around, but more adventurous trekkers can join tours that explore deeper into the cave.

Best hikes for history lovers

Peter Lenarcic, of the Slovenia Outdoor association, says that underground exploration can also be a great option for history lovers, as “Slovenia has vast remains of underground fortifications from [the two World Wars,] like the Rupnik Line or Soča Frontline.” Lenarcic adds that some can be visited on your own with a good torch light, and many are also located near other hiking trails.

For history lovers who prefer to stay aboveground, Lenarcic recommends the 7.5-mile Trail of Trappists, which explores old wine transport routes, and the Walk of Peace, which includes fire trenches, bunkers, and other war remnants scattered along a 67-mile stretch of mountains, rivers, and small towns between the Alps and the Adriatic. (Parts of the Walk of Peace trail are undergoing repairs; check here for current conditions.)

 A shorter option is the Kobarid Historic Trail, a roughly 4-mile trail that is a mixture of forests, waterfalls, WWI bunker remnants, and small-town historical museums, like the WWI-focused Kobarid Museum.

(Related: Czeched out of Prague? Try Ljubljana instead.)

Family-friendly hikes

Kids can and do hike the trails around Lake Bled and down around Slovenia’s caves, but for an added bit of fun, consider trails that are reached by chairlifts. “If you’re hiking with a family, particularly if you’ve got young ones or are traveling with folks with limited mobility, I like to recommend hiking areas that are accessible by cable car,” says Wilderness Travel Slovenia Trip Leader, Jirí Rohel.

He recommends Velika Planina, a mountain plateau near the town of Kamnik, which is the largest settlement of herdsmen in Europe where farmers come to graze their cows in the alpine meadows in summer. Not only is there great family-friendly hiking here, but there is also a cultural immersion experience, as some herders open their huts to visitors and offer traditional lunches.

How to do it

Ljubljana can be reached by direct flights from Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Warsaw, and Istanbul. Alternatively, many travelers opt to fly into nearby cities that receive more frequent (and cheaper) flights and then take the train to Slovenia.

It is very possible to plan your own hiking trip to Slovenia, but if you’d like to join a group trip, Wilderness Travel offers several Slovenia hiking itineraries (some also include Austria and Italy), and Intrepid offers Slovenia trips that combine hiking, biking, and kayaking.

Numerous specialized providers with the Slovenia Outdoor association offer year-round tours focused on hiking, biking, climbing, and snowshoeing around the country.

Cassandra Brooklyn is a New York City-based who specializes in sustainability, accessibility and the outdoors. She is the author of the guidebookCuba by Bike and can be found on X.