Reciprocal relationships between psychosocial work characteristics and sleep problems: A two-wave study

ABSTRACT

Sleep problems are common and impair the health and productivity of employees. Work characteristics constitute one possible cause of sleep problems, and sleeping poorly might influence wellbeing and performance at work. This study examines the reciprocal associations between sleep problems and psychosocial work characteristics. The participants were 1744 full-time employed individuals (56% women; mean age 38 years in 2007) from the Young Finns study who responded to questionnaires on work characteristics (conceptualised by the demand–control model and effort–reward imbalance model) and sleep problems (Jenkins Sleep Scale) in 2007 and 2012. Cross-lagged structural equation models are used to examine the associations. The results show that low control and low rewards at baseline predicted sleep problems. Baseline sleep problems predicted higher effort, higher effort–reward imbalance, and lower reward. Sleep problems also predicted lower odds for belonging to the low (rather than high) job strain group and active jobs group. The association between work characteristics and sleep problems appears to be reciprocal, with a stressful work environment increasing sleep problems, and sleep problems influencing future work characteristics. The results emphasise the importance of interventions aimed at both enhancing sleep quality and reducing psychosocial risks at work.

KEYWORDS:

• Work characteristics
• effort–reward imbalance
• job strain
• sleep problems
• demand–control model
• longitudinal

Acknowledgements

The funding sources had no involvement in the study design, in the analysis, in the interpretation of the data, in the writing of the report, or in the decision to submit the article for publication.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study has been financially supported by the National Doctoral Programme of Psychology (Academy of Finland [Suomen Akatemia]: MT); Academy of Finland [grant number 258711: LK-J]; Academy of Finland [grant number 258578: MH]; the Juho Vainio Foundation (Juho Vainion Säätiö, LPR); the Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation (Signe ja Ane Gyllenbergin Säätiö, LPR); The Bothnia Welfare Coalition for Research and Knowledge (LPR). The Young Finns Study has been financially supported by the Academy of Finland [grant numbers 134309 (Eye), 126925, 121584, 124282, 129378 (Salve), 117797 (Gendi), and 41071 (Skidi)]; the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, Kuopio, Tampere and Turku University Hospital Medical Funds [grant numbers 9N035 and X51001: TL], the Juho Vainio Foundation, the Paavo Nurmi Foundation, the Finnish Foundation of Cardiovascular Research and the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Tampere Tuberculosis Foundation and the Emil Aaltonen Foundation.