A recent study of workers demonstrated that the prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) was higher in shift workers than in non-shift workers. As for obstructive sleep apnea, there was no difference in prevalence between shift and non-shift.
As published in Sleep Disorders and summarized by the National Institutes of Health, the study calls sleep deprivation and sleepiness “the most important health problem in our modern society among shift workers.”
The objective of the study was to investigate the prevalence of sleep disorders and their possible effects on work performance in two groups of shift workers and nonshift workers. Data were collected by PSQI, Berlin questionnaire, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Insomnia Severity Index, and RLS Questionnaire.
A self-administered questionnaire was submitted to all workers employed in a textile factory. A total of 225 shift workers and 245 non-shift workers participated in this study. All the participants were informed about the objectives of the study and the methods used during the survey. Each participant received the questionnaire and completed it during the work hours.
“It is necessary to say that the relation between the quality of sleep and occupational performance is two-sided,” write researchers. “On one hand, low quality of sleep can result in poor work performance and work accidents. On the other hand, problems occurring while working can culminate in sleep disorders. Knudsen et al. in their study showed that the workers who had work accidents resulting in work absence in the recent past year were more prone to insomnia disorder and poor sleep quality.”