RESEARCH PROPOSAL
1
WORK HOURS AND ITS EFFECT ON SLEEP
Work Hours and Its Effect on Sleep
Erica K. Fernandez
Louisiana State University at Alexandria
PSYC 3017
Dr. Richard Elder
Work’s Effect on Sleep
Sleep is essential for a clear mind and a regular schedule, but sleep deprivation has become more prevalent in society today, affecting people of all ages, genders, and races. It is critical to maintain regular sleeping habits in order to remain conscious in daily activities; as a result, sleep disruption can have significant consequences for people's physical and mental well-being. In the context of this research project, sleep is a nightly occurrence during which a person's eyes are closed and they are focused solely on rest. The goal of this study is to determine whether there is a link between the number of hours a subject works and the number of hours he or she sleeps; consequently, it is anticipated that employees who work less hours receive more sleep than those who work more hours. Many variables are important in answering the stated research question, such as part-time (25 hours or less per week) or full-time (25 hours or more per week) employment, where employment or work is defined as a location where you earn a paycheck for services rendered to a company or place of business; and the amount of sleep per night, which can be either 1-5 hours or 6-9 hours per night.
Literature Review
Previous research has shown that many variables correlate with sleep disruption such as duties required in the workplace, declining health, psychological responsibilities, and economic struggles (Burgard, S., 2011; Burgard, S. & Ailshire, J., 2009; Manoccha, M, San Keller, & Ware, J., 2001; Maume, D., Sebastian, R., & Bardo, A., 2009; Noar, B., 2018; Philibert, I., 2005; & Wolf-Meyer, M., 2011). Although a correlation does not always imply a definite cause-and-effect relationship, it is obvious that these elements have an impact on sleep.
The American Sociological Review released a study by David J. Maume, Rachel A. Sebastian, and Anthony R. Bardo in December 2009 that looked into the relationship between gender and sleep disturbance in retail workers. There was evidence in this study that suggested gender plays a role in sleep disruption. The researchers gathered 583 participants, 362 of whom were women and 221 of them were men. Participants provided demographic and health information, as well as family and work factors and a 10-question survey to determine the frequency of sleep disorders in the previous three months (p. 996, 2009). Although it was discovered that women got less sleep than males, various constraints, such as the sleeping habits of the partner, could have produced an error in the results.
According to a study conducted by Sarah A. Burgard at the University of Michigan, women who function as caretakers have the most problems sleeping. Psychological duties such as housekeeping, and childcare can have an impact on the amount of sleep disturbance women experience each night. Overall, “women are more likely than males to report disrupted sleep regardless of their social roles,” according to the findings of this study (p. 1199, 2011). Although many studies focus on how physiological hazards affect sleep, this study stated that further investigations on how social obligations among genders influenced sleep were needed. For example, it is well recognized that after having a child, women shoulder a significant amount of responsibility for the infant's feeding, changing, and soothing, particularly at night.
Between the demands of those higher up in the organization and the never-ending chores necessary, the workplace can be a stressful place. According to Bryan Noar of the Wellness Council of America, “41% [of people] must work at high-risk times on occasion” (2014), putting them at risk for unhealthy sleeping patterns like nodding asleep while driving or working. This is particularly risky for businesses that employ truck drivers or provide company automobiles to their employees. The dangers of driving while sleep-deprived were even equated to the dangers of driving when inebriated, according to the author. It is crucial to remember that work not only affects an employee's sleep, but it may also have a negative impact on a company's net profit at the end of the year, with "up to $411 billion in economic losses" per year (2014). Although employees may be quick to blame the company, Noar emphasizes the need of workers developing self-disciplined schedules, which has been shown to contribute to better night sleep. Going to bed at the same time every night, putting technology away before bed, and sleeping in a chilly, cozy room are all ways to keep a self-discipline routine on track.
According to a study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior in December 2009 by Sarah A. Burgard and Jennifer A. Ailshire, “most adults spend about one-third of most 24-hour days in paid employment, and another third sleeping, but our understanding of the links between work experiences and sleep quality is limited” (p. 476). Over half of the participants acknowledged to having problems falling asleep or remaining asleep, similar to the findings of Bryan Noar's study. There was a study published by Ingrid Philibert and the Sleep Research Society if a researcher wished to experiment specifically researching sleep disruption among residents and non-physicians in hospitals. Residents are frequently obliged to work long shifts with no breaks, making it more difficult to maintain a consistent sleep routine. It is worth noting that the sample size in this study was over 1,000 people. Several other factors were included in this study, including coffee consumption, occasional naps, and the use of awakening medicines. It is worth noting that this study looked at over 1,000 people, making the sample size rather big in comparison to the other research in this review. Because other variables were not considered sufficiently, the results were inconclusive.
The impacts of age on working and sleep disruption are the final variable we intend to investigate. Michael Manocchia, San Keller, and John E. Ware conducted a study that was published in the Quality-of-Life Research in June 2001 to see if age and working had an effect on sleep disruption. “The Medical Outcomes Study (MOS), an observational study of people with chronic medical and mental diagnoses,” the researchers said (p.333, 2001). When we look at previous research on work and sleep disruption, we can see that there is a link between the two. As a result, if we include the extra variables of poor health and aging, there is a probability that sleep disruption may become more prevalent. The findings did demonstrate a link between aging and sleep, but some restrictions could have tainted the findings, such as whether or not someone in their later years was working due to their deteriorating health. “Chronically unwell individuals with significant sleep problems reported not working as carefully and needing frequent naps two times more than those without sleep issues,” according to the study (p. 340, 2001).
People grow older and encounter a range of financial challenges, including paying bills, working full-time, and possibly living on their own for the first time. In December 2011, Matthew Wolf-Meyer published a paper in Current Anthropology that discussed these burdens of becoming older and their consequences on sleep. It is worth noting that the researcher of this study included sleep disorders as a variable in their experimentation because they have gotten more common as time goes on. While some people assume that financial difficulties are to blame for poor sleep, studies feel that sleep disorders are more likely to be to blame. Self-discipline, as Bryan Noar said in his study on sleep, is a key component in overcoming sleeping problems like insomnia. According to Matthew Wolf-Meyer, it is also critical to “assign people to the proper tasks for their biologies” (p. 883, 2011).
Throughout this review, we have learned how critical it is to consider all of these factors when seeking to determine whether or not there is a link between hours spent at work and hours spent sleeping. Age, gender, number of hours spent at work, and number of hours spent sleeping are the variables being investigated. “Variables which were important in similar studies include components such as duties required in the workplace, declining health, psychological responsibilities, and economic struggles” (Burgard, S., 2011; Burgard, S. & Ailshire, J., 2009; Manoccha, M, San Keller, & Ware, J., 2001; Maume, D., Sebastian, R., & Bardo, A., 2009; Noar, B., 2018; Philibert, I., 2005; & Wolf-Meyer, M., 2011). With these variables in mind, as well as the variables I intend to explore, I hope to answer the following research question: Is there a connection between the total hours you work and the number of hours you sleep? As a result, it is possible that employees who work fewer hours receive more sleep than those who work more. The correlation coefficient can be used to determine whether or not the variables being examined have a true relationship.
References
Burgard, S. (2011). The needs of others: gender and sleep interruptions for caregivers. Social
Forces, 89(4), 1189-1215. Retrieved from www.jstor.org/stable/41290126
Burgard, S., & Ailshire, J. (2009). Putting work to bed: stressful experiences on the job and sleep
quality. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 50(4), 476-492. Retrieved from www.
jstor.org/stable/20617656
Manocchia, M., San Keller, & Ware, J. (2001). Sleep problems, health-related quality of life,
work functioning and health care utilization among the chronically ill. Quality of Life
Research, 10(4), 331-345. Retrieved from www.jstor.org/stable/4037457
Maume, D., Sebastian, R., & Bardo, A. (2009). Gender Differences in Sleep Disruption among
Retail Food Workers. American Sociological Review, 74(6), 989-1007. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy2.lsua.edu/stable/27801504
Noar, B. The effects of poor sleep in the workplace. (2018, December 14). Retrieved
June 1, 2021, from https://www.welcoa.org/blog/effects-poor-sleep-workplace/.
Philibert, I. (2005). Sleep loss and performance in residents and nonphysicians: a meta-
analytic examination. Sleep, 28(11), 1392-1402. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/
sleep/28.11.1392
Wolf-Meyer, M. (2011). Natural Hegemonies: Sleep and The Rhythms of American Capitalism.
Current Anthropology, 52(6), 876-895. Doi: 10.1086/662550