A study from the University of Edinburgh reveals that sleep disturbances are more prevalent among older workers than previously thought, with nearly 70% of participants reporting persistent, clinically significant sleep issues despite no known history of sleep disorders. Alarmingly, around 92% met the criteria for a sleep disorder at least once during the study, indicating a widespread concern.
Read More
The research drew a clear connection between work-related stress and sleep problems. Participants who enjoyed better work-life balance and job satisfaction reported improved well-being, while those feeling gloomy or irritable at work reported poorer health outcomes. Experts advocate that these findings highlight the need for greater focus by employers, policymakers, and health care providers on sleep quality and workplace well-being to support the health and productivity of workers over 50.
The yearlong study tracked 45 participants aged 50–66 from various employment sectors, collecting over 1,900 self-reported assessments and more than 5,200 days of data from wearable sensors. The results showed frequent sleep disturbances, including awakenings and poor sleep quality, were common, even among those averaging 6.5 to 8 hours of sleep per night. This suggests that factors other than sleep duration—specifically disrupted sleep—may explain feelings of tiredness.
Artificial intelligence was used to analyze data and identify workplace experiences as significant contributors to sleep disruption. A strong link was found between well-being, work-life balance, and job satisfaction. Participants reporting negative emotions such as gloom or irritability consistently noted lower well-being levels, regardless of their job sector or gender.
As the workforce ages, with one in three UK workers now over 50 and a projected 17.7 million people aged 65 and older by 2050, supporting the health of older workers is becoming increasingly vital. The study is part of the Supporting Healthy Aging at Work (SHAW) project, which aims to address these issues.
Professor Athanasios Tsanas, the study lead, emphasized the unexpected scale of sleep problems in this group, noting that many were work-related and underscoring the importance of healthy work-life balance. Dr. Belinda Steffan outlined that while age-related factors do affect sleep, stress from various non-age-specific work-related issues also plays a critical role. Employers should recognize the impact of work-related sleep problems across all age groups, but particularly for those over 50.
The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports.