Extremely disrupted sleep or excessively long nightly sleep can reduce working life by up to nine months after the age of 50, according to a study conducted by a research team at the University of Turku in Finland.
Finnish Public Sector Study and Health and Social Support Study Data
The study utilized data from the Finnish Public Sector study and the Health and Social Support study, surveying participants about their sleeping habits after they turned 50. Researchers defined sleep disturbances as difficulties falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, waking up too early, and nonrestorative sleep during the four weeks leading up to the survey.
Moderate and Severe Sleep Disturbances Impact on Working Life
Compared to participants with no sleep disturbances, individuals with moderate sleep disturbances could expect to work nearly five fewer months between the ages of 50 and 68. Those with severe sleep disturbances could expect eight fewer months, regardless of gender or job type. Women with no sleep disturbances also had a longer working life from 50 to 68 than their male equivalents.
Nightly sleep length was divided into short (under seven hours), mid-range (between seven and 8.5 hours), and long (nine hours or more). Both short and mid-range sleep lengths were associated with a working life expectancy of 13 years and two months after turning 50. In contrast, long nightly sleep length was associated with a working life expectancy of 12 years and five months.
Professional Women and Men in Routine Jobs
The longest working life expectancy, reaching nearly 14 years, was observed among professional women with no sleep disturbances. The shortest working life expectancy, at nearly 12 and a half years, was recorded among men in routine jobs experiencing severe sleep disturbances.
Dr. Saana Myllyntausta, lead investigator from the department of psychology and speech-language pathology at the University of Turku, noted that the research team was surprised to find no differences between those with short sleep duration and those with mid-range sleep duration. Myllyntausta suggested that the shorter working careers associated with long sleep duration might be linked to poorer health outcomes.
The researchers emphasized the importance of supporting sleep health and treating sleep problems during middle age, particularly for individuals with a lower socioeconomic status, to help increase workforce participation as people age. They also acknowledged that the study could not account for certain potentially influential factors, including physical and mental health, underlying health conditions, risky health behaviors, and working conditions such as shift work, as reported by UA.News.
