Long and irregular work hours may impair sleep

People who have atypical work patterns, such as shift workers and those who work on the weekend, have worse quality and quantity of sleep, compared to those who work a typical 35-40 hour week, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The research, published in BMC Public Health and in collaboration with Queen Mary University of London and the University of Southampton, used data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study, known as Understanding Society, to analyse the work and sleep patterns of over 25,000 men and women between 2012 and 2017. They found that compared to people who worked a standard 35-40 hour week, those working 55 hours a week or more had the poorest sleep - including short sleep (less than seven hours a night) and sleep disturbance (struggling to fall asleep within 30 minutes, waking up in the middle of the night or early morning, and a self-rating of poor-quality sleep). Meanwhile, those who worked most/all weekends and nonstandard patterns like shifts also experienced sleep disturbance, and either short sleep or long sleep (more than eight hours a night). Lead author, Dr Gillian Weston (UCL Epidemiology & Public Health), said: "While individual sleep needs vary, adults are generally recommended to aim for at least seven hours of sleep per night. The repercussions of poor sleep extend beyond mere fatigue. Research demonstrates both long and short sleep durations are associated with poor health, emphasising the critical role of balanced sleep in overall well-being.