Rise and grind? Working late, volatile hours may lead to depression, illness by 50

Working late nights and variable schedules when you're young is linked with poor health and depression at 50, a new study finds. (simonkr/Getty Images)

Feeling burned out and looking for reasons to work less? A new study shows that working nights and volatile schedules in young adulthood can leave you vulnerable to depression and poor health in middle age.

The research examined the work schedules and sleep patterns of more than 7,000 Americans interviewed over three decades, from the ages of 22 through 50. To the surprise of the study's author, NYU Silver School of Social Work professor Wen-Jui Han, only one-quarter of the participants worked exclusively traditional daytime hours.