Findings from a recent study highlighted that non-traditional work schedules, as well as sedentary work, can lead to a higher risk of insomnia. New research reveals how desk time and odd hours may quietly disrupt your rest. Nontraditional work schedules (like evening or weekend shifts) led to a 66% higher risk of needing “catch-up sleep” such as naps or sleeping in. These sleep problems often persist: around 90% of people with insomnia-like issues stayed in that pattern a decade later. Researchers from the University of South Florida set out to see how modern jobs—with lots of screen time, sitting still, or odd work hours—might quietly chip away at our sleep. They used data from the Midlife in the United States study, tracking over 1,000 full-time employees twice across roughly a 10‑year span. Instead of looking at just hours asleep, they explored different “sleeper types”—like good sleeper, insomnia sleeper, and catch‑up sleeper—considering how these patterns evolved. Participants reported on a range of sleep dimensions: how long they slept, how regular their schedule was, how long it took to fall asleep, symptoms like nighttime waking or daytime tiredness, and even napping habits. The research team used a technique called latent transition analysis, which groups people by patterns instead of single traits. That lets them track how someone might move from being a good sleeper to an insomnia or catch‑up sleeper over the decade—and see whether job traits predicted those shifts. This study shows that it’s not just stress keeping you up—it could be your job’s basic setup: sitting all day or working odd hours. These factors don’t just affect you temporarily—they can shape your sleep for years. The good news? Since job design matters, employees (and employers) might find ways to reshape work habits—stand more, move more, simplify schedules—to protect sleep long-term.
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Friday, October 10, 2025