Abstract
Objective Insufficient time for recovery between workdays may cause fatigue and disturbed sleep. This study evaluated the impact of an intervention that reduced weekly working hours by 25% on sleep, sleepiness and perceived stress for employees within the public sector. Method Participating workplaces (N=33) were randomized into intervention and control groups. Participants (N=580, 76% women) worked full-time at baseline. The intervention group (N=354) reduced worktime to 75% with preserved salary during 18 months. Data were collected at baseline and after 9 and 18 months follow-up. Sleep quality, sleep duration, sleepiness, perceived stress,and worries and stress at bedtime were measured with diary during one week per data collection. Result A multilevel mixed model showed that compared with the control group, at the 18-month follow-up, the intervention group had improved sleep quality and sleep duration (+23 minutes) and displayed reduced levels of sleepiness, perceived stress, and worries and stress at bedtime on workdays (P<0.002). The same effects were shown for days off (P<0.006), except for sleep length. Effect sizes were small (Cohen's f2<0.08). Adding gender, age, having children living at home, and baseline values of sleep quality and worries and stress at bedtime as additional between-group factors did not influence the results. Conclusion A 25% reduction of weekly work hours with retained salary resulted in beneficial effects on sleep, sleepiness and perceived stress both on workdays and days off. These effects were maintained over an 18-month period. This randomized intervention thus indicates that reduced worktime may improve recovery and perceived stress.
Highlights
The impact of reduced worktime on sleep and perceived stress – a group randomized intervention study using diary data by Helena Schiller, BSc,1 Mats Lekander PhD,1, 2 Kristiina Rajaleid, PhD,1, 3 Carina Hellgren, PhD,2 Torbjörn Åkerstedt, PhD,1, 2 Peter Barck-Holst, MSc,2, 4, 5 Göran Kecklund, PhD 1, 6
One criterion for being included in the study was having implemented the 25% worktime reduction according to the employers’ time recording data over 14 months, self-reported hours worked per day, and the number of days worked per measurement week have been computed
The results showed that women, older employees, and employees having children living at home did not benefit more from the worktime reduction, except for women reporting marginally less improvement in sleepiness during days off after the introduction of worktime reduction as compared to men and those having children living at home reported somewhat lower levels of perceived stress on workdays as compared to those without children
Summary
The impact of reduced worktime on sleep and perceived stress – a group randomized intervention study using diary data by Helena Schiller, BSc, Mats Lekander PhD, Kristiina Rajaleid, PhD, Carina Hellgren, PhD, Torbjörn Åkerstedt, PhD, Peter Barck-Holst, MSc, Göran Kecklund, PhD 1, 6. Schiller H, Lekander M, Rajaleid K, Hellgren C, Åkerstedt T, Barck-Holst P, Kecklund G. The impact of reduced worktime on sleep and perceived stress – a group randomized intervention study using diary data. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2017;43(2):109–116. doi:10.5271/sjweh.3610
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