Study explores the effects of irregular work hours on sleep

London — People with irregular work schedules are more likely to have problems sleeping than those who work a typical 35- to 40-hour week, according to a recent study.

A team led by researchers from University College London used 2012-2017 data from more than 25,000 workers in the UK Household Longitudinal Study to analyze work and sleep patterns.

They found that participants who worked more than 55 hours a week had shorter sleep (less than seven hours a night) and more sleep disturbances than those who worked 35-40 hours a week.

Sleep disturbances include struggling to fall asleep within 30 minutes, waking up early in the morning or in the middle of the night, and self-ratings of poor sleep quality.

Additionally, working all or most weekends was shown to contribute to worse sleep quality than not working weekends. The participants with nonstandard work schedules also had more sleep issues than those with fixed daytime schedules.

“Certain work-schedule practices may boost profit margins, but they exact a real cost for worker health,” study co-author Afshin Zilanawala, associate professor of demography at the University of Southampton, said in a press release. “If healthy sleep is to be recognized as a critical pillar of health, then policymakers need to ensure that sufficient rest and recovery are a greater priority together with a more careful consideration of the timing and scheduling of work to better support workers’ health and productivity.”

The researchers say employers should:

• Encourage work schedules that align with individuals’ sleep patterns (i.e., early birds or night owls).
• Provide sufficient breaks.
• Minimize overtime.
• Allow employees to disengage from work outside of their normal working hours.

The study was published online in the journal BMC Public Health.