It is not just long hours that are wearing out older workers. The real problem appears to be the quality of their sleep. That is the finding of a new University of Edinburgh study, which reveals that almost seven in 10 workers over 50 suffer from persistent sleep disturbances, with work related stress and difficulty maintaining a work-life balance identified as the main culprits.

The researchers believe the findings highlight an underappreciated dimension of workers’ health and underline the need for businesses to invest more in staff wellbeing, particularly as the workforce ages.

How the study was conducted

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, followed 45 workers aged 50 to 66 from different professional sectors over the course of a year. Scientists combined data from wellbeing and work experience questionnaires with more than 5,200 days of tracking via wearable devices.

According to the results:

• Almost 70% showed persistent, clinically significant sleep disturbances, with no prior diagnosis
• 90% experienced frequent awakenings and interruptions to their sleep during the course of the study
• Although most slept between 6.5 and 8 hours a night, they reported waking up tired

This finding suggests the problem is not necessarily the duration of sleep, but how often it is interrupted, which deprives the body of the rest it needs.

Using artificial intelligence tools, the researchers examined which factors were most closely linked to sleep disturbances. Working conditions emerged as one of the most significant. Participants who reported greater job satisfaction and a better work-life balance had significantly higher levels of wellbeing. By contrast, those who frequently felt tension, irritability or low mood at work consistently showed lower psychological and physical wellbeing.

“We were surprised by the scale of the problem”

The study’s lead author, Professor of Digital Health and Data Science at the University of Edinburgh, Athanasios Tsanas, said even the researchers themselves had not expected to record such widespread sleep problems in people with no known diagnosis. “Our analysis clearly shows that many sleep and wellbeing problems are linked to work, while overall wellbeing depends heavily on maintaining a stable work-life balance,” he said.

He added that data from smartwatches allowed researchers to identify patterns that had until now remained invisible, paving the way for targeted interventions that could help workers maintain their health as they approach retirement.

Dr Belinda Steffan, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh Business School, said that while it was already known that work and sleep interact, the scale of the problem in an otherwise healthy population was unexpected.

She explained that, beyond age related factors such as the menopause or the body’s natural changes, the stress of caring for others, financial pressures and chronic work stress all play a significant role.

“Our study shows that sleep is a health and wellbeing issue in the workplace. Organisations and employers need to recognise the impact of work related sleep problems, not only on workers over 50 but, in fact, across all age groups,” she concluded.

Source: ygeiamou.gr