Poor sleep may cost over-50s nine months of working life, study finds

Researchers at the University of Turku in Finland used data from the Finnish Public Sector study and the Health and Social Support study, surveying participants' sleeping habits after they turned 50. They categorized nightly sleep length as short (under seven hours), mid-range (between seven and 8.5 hours), or long (nine hours or more). Sleep disturbances were defined as difficulties falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, waking up too early, and nonrestorative sleep during the four weeks preceding the survey.

The study found that, compared with participants who had no sleep disturbances, those with moderate sleep disturbances could expect to work nearly five fewer months between ages 50 and 68, and those with severe sleep disturbances eight fewer months, regardless of gender or job type. Women with no sleep disturbances had a longer working life from 50 to 68 than their male equivalents.

Short and mid-range sleep length were both associated with a working life expectancy of 13 years and two months after 50, while long nightly sleep was associated with a working life expectancy of 12 years and five months. The longest working life expectancy, almost 14 years, was observed among professional women with no sleep disturbances. The shortest, nearly 12 and a half years, was observed among men in routine jobs with severe sleep disturbances.

Lead investigator Dr Saana Myllyntausta of the department of psychology and speech-language pathology at the University of Turku said it was surprising that no differences were found between short and mid-range sleep duration, which is considered optimal. She noted that short sleep has been linked in some studies to earlier retirement, while long sleep was associated with shorter working life expectancy and poorer health outcomes, which might explain the shorter working career.

She added that the findings highlight the importance of supporting sleep health and treating sleep problems, particularly among those with low socioeconomic status, during middle age. The study concluded that promoting sleep health and providing support for managing sleep disturbances at midlife may be especially important for lower socioeconomic groups when aiming to increase workforce participation with advancing age.

The researchers acknowledged they were not able to account for other potentially influential factors, such as physical and mental health, underlying health conditions, risky health behaviours, and working conditions like shift work.