Long Work Hours Weaken Mental Skills

Research shows brain produces serotonin as an immune response

(NEWSER) - Clinical depression may be treatable with bacteria, doctors at Bristol University posit. They got the idea when they observed lung cancer patients inoculated with harmless Mycobacterium vaccae who showed reduced symptoms and improved mental health. The brain produces serotonin as an immune response, the docs hypothesized, raising the low serotonin levels associated with depression and resulting in a sunnier outlook. More»

40 hours provides maximum productivity: Geoffrey James

(NEWSER) - Putting in a 60-hour workweek may look impressive—but it's probably not helping the company, or you. Plenty of studies back this up, writes Geoffrey James at Time , who points to a turn-of-the-20th-century analysis by Ford Motor Company that concluded the most productive number of weekly hours for workers was 40. Another 20 hours briefly increased productivity, but after just three to four weeks, it actually made workers less productive. The same is true of extended workweeks today, writes James. More»

Hiccuping cat, ambiguous lottery ticket top the list

(NEWSER) - Traffic, poor sleep, and bad weather are the three most common excuses for showing up late to work, according to a nationwide survey of employees and bosses. But what are the most outrageous reasons employees gave in 2011 for being tardy? Here are the top 10, selected by CareerBuilder.com as part of its annual survey: More»

Those who work rotating shifts more likely to get disease: Study

(NEWSER) - Women who work a night shift at least a few nights a month are more prone to type 2 diabetes, according to new research. The longer they work such a rotating schedule, the greater the risk, reports USA Today . The women saw their type 2 diabetes rates spike 5% over one to two years, 20% over three to nine years, and 40% over 10 to 19 years when compared to women who worked day hours. More»

Growing darkness depresses, so you need to keep upbeat

(NEWSER) - The increasingly short and dark days of winter can make many people feel depressed this time of year, and Daylight Saving Time only makes things worse. So to help people out, Time offers eight tips to keep your spirits up:

• Socializing and exercising. OK, not exactly what you crave when you're feeling depressed, but forcing yourself to be active and meet people can really turn your mood around.