Tossing and turning – insomnia in relation to occupational stress, rumination, fatigue, and well-being

Abstract

Kompier MAJ, Taris TW, van Veldhoven M. Tossing and turning -insomnia in relation to occupational stress, rumination, fatigue, and well-being. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2012;38(3):238-246. doi:10.5271/sjweh.3263 Objectives This study of a large and heterogeneous sample of 5210 daytime employees was designed to shed more light on the work effort-recovery mechanism by examining the cross-sectional relations between subjective sleep quality and (i) psychosocial work characteristics, (ii) work-related rumination, (iii) fatigue after work, and (iv) affective well-being at work and work pleasure. MethodsWe used the Dutch Questionnaire on the Experience and Evaluation of Work and created three sleep quality groups (low, low-to-intermediate, and high quality). Group differences were studied through analysis of variance (ANOVA). To examine the relations among the study variables in more detail, we also conducted four sets of stepwise regression analyses. In all the analyses, we corrected for age, level of education, and gender.Results A series of (M)ANOVA provided strong evidence for a relation between sleep quality and adverse work characteristics and work-related rumination. Furthermore, poor sleepers reported higher levels of fatigue after work, and poor sleep quality was related to both lower affective well-being during work and work pleasure. Regression analyses revealed that sleep quality was the strongest statistical predictor of after-work fatigue and affective well-being at work, and high levels of work rumination constituted the strongest statistical predictor of sleep complaints. ConclusionsAs this study showed strong relations between sleep quality, occupational stress, fatigue, perseverative cognitions, and work motivation, it supports effort-recovery theory. Interventions should aim to prevent a disbalance between effort and recovery.

Psychosocial work characteristics and sleep quality: a systematic review of longitudinal and intervention research

“…As such, it is essential to determine the main causes of poor sleep quality as to reduce them and restore good sleep quality. Based on occupational health theories, workrelated stress and adverse psychosocial work characteristics are assumed to be important determinants of poor sleep quality (16,19,57). In 2006, a narrative review of mainly cross-sectional studies indeed showed that psychosocial work-related stress is closely related to impaired sleep quality (15).…”

“…Poor sleep quality could lead to fatigue and also to poor work functioning and decreases in performance. Poor work performance, in turn, may also "create" work stressors, such as reduced support from colleagues or supervisors or insecurity (19). This is what De Lange et al (28) define as the "environmental change mechanism".…”

“…Indeed, several studies have found a relation between work-related psychosocial stressors (ie, high workload, job strain, cognitive and emotional job demands, job insecurity, bullying) and poor sleep quality (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23). Likewise, positive psychosocial work factors (ie, social support, job control, organizational justice) have been linked to favorable sleep quality (19,22,24).…”

“…Likewise, positive psychosocial work factors (ie, social support, job control, organizational justice) have been linked to favorable sleep quality (19,22,24). However, most evidence is cross-sectional, preventing the possibility to draw causal conclusions.…”

Motor Control in Chronically Sleep-Restricted Rats: A Behavioral Approach

“…Sleep quality is an important clinical construct in maintaining health. Poor sleep quality which results from many sleep disorders as well as medical diseases, might even have a direct effect on increased mortality [5]. Sleep loss is a common condition in new lifestyle while in many instances, its potential adverse impact is under-attended [6].…”