Association Between Occupational Stress and Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Occupational stress and sleep quality are prevalent issues that can impact the physical and mental well-being of adults. An association between occupational stress and sleep quality has been found. However, this association is not entirely the same across different occupational groups. Additionally, variations are present in the research design and instruments employed.This systematic review aims to investigate the association between these two factors and identify gaps and limitations in current research. Articles published between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2022, were retrieved from the WOS, Scopus, and PubMed databases. Out of 1225 articles, 38 studies met the predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria and were included in the review. In the study, research designs, samples, instruments, and associations between occupational stress and sleep quality were statistically analyzed.These studies encompassed a diverse range of occupations, including both blue-collar and white-collar workers. Cross-sectional study is the most common research method. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was the most frequently utilized tool for assessing sleep quality, while there was a wide variety of measurement tools employed to assess occupational stress. The association between occupational stress and sleep quality consistently demonstrated a negative association, although the specific dimensions varied among studies. Moreover, several other factors were identified to have direct or indirect effects on occupational stress and sleep quality. For future research in this field, we propose four recommendations: (1) Consider utilizing objective measures to assess occupational stress and sleep quality. (2) Employ controlled experiments to further validate the causal relationship between occupational stress and sleep quality. (3) Investigate occupational groups that have received less attention. (4) Take into account the potential influence of other factors on occupational stress and sleep quality.

Bifidobacterium adolescentis SBT2786 Improves Sleep Quality in Japanese Adults with Relatively High Levels of Stress: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

“…Subgroup analysis was performed to elucidate the effect of SBT2786 on stress levels. The close relationship between stress levels and sleep state is well established [ 24 ]. Therefore, we used salivary amylase, a marker widely recognized for its reliability in stress measurements [ 25 , 26 , 27 ], as an indicator of stress level.…”

The association between energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index and physical activity with sleep quality: a cross-sectional study

“…It’s suggested that women’s neurobiological mechanisms and hormones, especially fluctuation of ovarian hormones, may affect sleep because of an interaction between hormone levels and circadian rhythm, however, there is a need for future investigations to clarify the underlying mechanism for this association [ 43 , 60 ]. Higher stress levels may lead to poor sleep quality [ 8 , 61 – 63 ]; while there is a probable gender differences in stress response [ 64 , 65 ]; so, it can be presumed that the impact of gender on stress response may have a role in the association between gender and sleep quality. Moreover, the interplay among sex differences, gut microbiota, and sleep should be considered in this subject [ 41 , 66 ].…”