A groundbreaking study led by the University of South Florida highlights how sedentary work and nontraditional schedules are major risk factors for insomnia, emphasizing the need for workplace interventions to support healthy sleep habits.
The way modern work is structured may be contributing to poor sleep health, according to new research led by Claire Smith, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of South Florida. The study, published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, found that sedentary work and nonstandard work schedules are major threats to sleep health.
The research revealed that among more than 1,000 employees surveyed over a decade, those with sedentary jobs experienced a 37% increase in insomnia symptoms. Similarly, workers with nontraditional schedules faced a 66% higher risk of needing “catch-up sleep,” such as frequent napping and sleeping in on weekends.
“The way we are designing work poses serious, long-term threats to healthy sleep,” Smith said in a news release. “Healthy sleep involves more than just getting your eight hours. It’s also falling asleep easily, sleeping through the night and having a consistent sleep schedule. Companies should be aware of the specific sleep risks of their workforce to improve detection and intervention.”
The study utilized data from the national Midlife in the United States study and identified three distinct sleep health categories: good sleepers, catch-up sleepers and insomnia-like sleepers.
The research found that sedentary work is strongly correlated with insomnia-like symptoms, including difficulty falling asleep, interrupted sleep and frequent daytime tiredness. Meanwhile, employees with irregular work hours were more likely to become catch-up sleepers.
The implications of these findings are profound, suggesting that moving during the workday and minimizing after-hours work could protect against chronic sleep problems. Evidence from the study indicates that once workers fall into poor sleep patterns due to job-related factors, these patterns often persist for years. Notably, 90% of those classified as insomnia-like sleepers continued to suffer from sleep difficulties a decade later.
“This is particularly important for both employers and employees, since research shows that poor sleep health is known to impact productivity, well-being and overall health,” Smith added.
She stressed that job redesign with a focus on sleep health could be crucial for enhancing worker well-being. This approach would require workplace interventions that consider the multifaceted nature of sleep health rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all solution.