Are Insomnia Type Sleep Problems Associated With a Less Physically Active Lifestyle? A Cross-Sectional Study Among 7,700 Adults From the General Working Population

Abstract

Background: Sleep problems are common in the general population and negatively affect both private and work life. A vicious circle may exist between poor sleep and an unhealthy lifestyle. For example, poor sleep may drain the energy to do health-promoting physical activity during leisure-time after work. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between sleep problems and the duration of low- and high-intensity leisure-time physical activity in sedentary and physical workers. Methods: This cross-sectional study employ data from the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study in 2010, where currently employed wage-earners in Denmark on daytime schedule ( N = 7,706) replied to questions about sleep quality (cf. the Bergen Insomnia Scale) and participation in low- and high-intensity leisure-time physical activity. Associations were modeled using general linear models controlling for various confounders. Results: Workers with high levels of sleep problems reported less high-intensity leisure-time physical activity. Specifically, the weekly duration of high-intensity leisure-time physical activity was 139 (95%CI 111–168), 129 (95%CI 101–158), and 122 (95%CI 92–151) min in sedentary workers with sleep problems < 1, 1–3, and ≥3 days per week, respectively. The same pattern was observed among physical workers. In sedentary workers ≥50 years, the fully adjusted model showed a weekly duration in high-intensity physical activity during leisure of 122 (95%CI 83–161), 102 (95%CI 64–141), and 90 (95%CI 51–130) among those with sleep problems < 1, 1–3, and ≥3 days per week, respectively. Conclusions: Workers, particularly sedentary older workers, having sleep problems report less high-intensity leisure-time physical activity. These data suggest that a vicious circle may indeed exist between poor sleep and reduced leisure-time physical activity.

Association between lifestyle and musculoskeletal pain: cross-sectional study among 10,000 adults from the general working population

“…The response options were: Do not perform this activity; < 2 h per week; 2–4 h per week; or > 4 h per week [34]. These four categories were recoded to 0, 1, 3 or 5 h per week, respectively [34–36]. For the subsequent analysis, the hours of moderate and high-intensity exercise was summed and defined the weekly hours of exercise.…”

Comparative Study on Nutrition and Lifestyle of Information Technology Workers from Romania before and during COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Sedentary behaviour is found to be associated with an increased risk of insomnia and sleep disturbances [ 13 ]. A vicious cycle between sleep problems and physical activity may exist, i.e., sleep problems may lead to less physical activity, and less physical activity may worsen sleep problems [ 14 ].…”

Insomnia Interventions in the Workplace: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…There are various observational studies that currently describe the different causes and consequences of work-related insomnia. In a cross-sectional study among Danish employers, it was shown that sedentary and physical workers with sleep problems performed less high-intensity leisure time physical activity, after adjustment for various potential confounders (age, gender, lifestyle factors) and factors related to work, work group, and chronic diseases [ 13 ]. Other researchers have linked metabolic syndrome (SME) with sleep problems and have demonstrated that low quantity and quality of sleep are powerful predictors of SME [ 14 ].…”