A U.S. study has revealed that work-related stress increases the likelihood of insomnia and sleep deprivation.
The study, conducted by a team of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, and published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, a journal specializing in occupational medicine, analyzed data from over 1,700 workers participating in a research project on the health conditions of middle-aged individuals, tracking their health over a period of nine years.
As part of the study, the researchers assessed sleep disturbances based on difficulty falling asleep, waking up during the night or very early in the morning, or feeling fatigued throughout the day. The researchers relied on six different criteria to measure the impact of work-related stress.
The researchers emphasized that "sleep disturbances are a major public health concern, with studies indicating that one in every seven adults in the U.S. has trouble falling asleep, and one in every six individuals struggles to wake up."
Dr. Jian Li, an occupational health specialist at the University of California, Los Angeles, told Medical Express, a medical research website, that "these results suggest that more effort is needed to help employees get the rest they need, which will positively impact work productivity."
He added that "strategies such as redistributing workloads and supporting employee autonomy can help improve sleep quality and overall employee health."
The research team believes that "these findings underscore the critical importance of early intervention in workplaces to reduce stress."
