Long working hours can sometimes become unavoidable, particularly when deadlines are fixed and there is little room to postpone important work. But working through an entire day and night without a proper break can also take a toll on a person’s concentration, emotional state, sleep and overall well-being. Actor Amitabh Bachchan recently offered a glimpse into such a demanding schedule while preparing for the 18th season of Kaun Banega Crorepati.The 83-year-old actor, who has hosted the quiz show since its debut in 2000, revealed on his blog that he had worked from 7 am one day until 7 am the following morning. He wrote, “Finished work at 7 am this morning, of work that began at 7 am yesterday. But the importance of its presentation and its timely work was necessary, so did it.”DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.Bachchan explained that the urgency was linked to the announced premiere date of the new season. “The first broadcast date for KBC is announced, and missing that would mean a job replacement for me. So off to do what needs to be done,” he wrote. After the marathon shift, he said he was looking forward to resting before another early start: “I shall retire now, get some food in the belly, hit a pillow for a while, for tomorrow the 6th August is another early call.”Bachchan has hosted every season of Kaun Banega Crorepati since it first aired on July 3, 2000, apart from the third season, which was hosted by Shah Rukh Khan. The show, adapted from the British format Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, became an important part of Bachchan’s career and is now one of India’s most recognisable television programmes.How extreme fatigue affects work performanceGurleen Baruah, Organizational Psychologist at That Culture Thing, tells indianexpress.com, “Research shows that staying awake for around 24 hours can impair attention, decision-making, and reaction time to a level comparable with being legally intoxicated in some countries. The brain simply doesn’t function at its best without sleep. In high-pressure situations such as a hackathon, a product launch, or a major deadline, people can become so absorbed that they lose track of time. Fear of failure, responsibility, or letting others down can temporarily override the body’s signals for rest. But this isn’t sustainable. While occasional intense effort may be unavoidable, it should always be followed by adequate recovery. Without that, performance, health, and judgment eventually begin to decline.”When work becomes tied to self-worthIt isn’t true that everyone who is passionate about their work sacrifices their well-being. Many people deeply enjoy their work while still maintaining healthy boundaries. The concern arises when a person’s identity becomes tied almost entirely to their job.Story continues below this adIn that situation, Baruah states, success can inflate self-worth, while criticism or setbacks can make them feel they have failed as a person, not just at a task. “From a psychological perspective, this creates a fragile sense of self because it depends heavily on external validation. Work should be something we do, not who we are. When self-worth depends only on performance, even success rarely feels secure for long.”Recovering after extreme work hoursRecovery starts with the basics — sleep, nutritious food, hydration, and genuine rest. Many people think scrolling through social media is a break, but it often keeps the mind stimulated instead of helping it recover.“Activities such as walking outdoors, exercising, mindfulness, journaling, or simply spending time away from screens are far more restorative. The concern is when occasional deadline-driven overwork becomes a pattern. Warning signs can appear physically, psychologically, and socially. These include poor sleep, frequent headaches, weight or blood pressure changes, constant irritability or anxiety, difficulty concentrating, emotional exhaustion, withdrawing from loved ones, or becoming unusually cynical. These are signs that the body and mind are asking for more than just another weekend off,” concludes Baruah.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.