Work and sleep quality in railway employees: an actigraphy study

Abstract

This actigraphy study tests whether daily work stressors (time pressure, social stressors), work resources (control, social support) and mental detachment from work predict sleep quality, when controlling for demands and control after work. Fifty-two railway employees participated during five consecutive workdays by completing diary questionnaires and wearing an actigraphy device. The results confirmed that social stressors from supervisors predicted more frequent sleep fragmentation and lower sleep efficiency the following night. Higher levels of daily time control at work predicted shorter sleep-onset latency and better selfreported sleep quality. Leisure time control as a covariate turned out to be a private resource, followed by fewer awakenings the following night. Detachment after work related negatively to social stressors and time pressure at work but was unrelated to indicators of sleep quality; detachment after work neither mediated nor moderated the relationship between social stressors from supervisors and sleep quality. Work redesign to increase time control and reduce social stressors is recommended to preserve daily recovery in railway employees. Practitioner summary: Sleep is important to renew health-and safety-related resources in railway employees. This diary and actigraphy study shows that higher daily work stressors were antecedents of lower sleep quality the following night, while more time control was followed by better sleep quality. Work redesign could promote health and safety by improving sleep quality.

Far from perfect sleep: A diary study on multidimensional perfectionism in the context of the stressor–detachment model.

“…Recent diary studies reported only the direct effects of time pressure on detachment (e.g., Gerhardt et al, 2020) and detachment on sleep quality (Reis & Prestele, 2020) in isolation, yielding mixed results. Specifically, only Reis and Prestele (2020) found the association between daily detachment and sleep quality the following night, while Gerhardt et al (2020), for example, did not. Following the SDM (Sonnentag & Fritz, 2015) and consistent with initial empirical evidence, we expect that employees have difficulty detaching after days when they were pressed for time and, therefore, have poorer sleep quality.…”

“…However, at the day level, the short-term effects of daily time pressure on sleep quality and the mediating role of detachment remain to be investigated. Recent diary studies reported only the direct effects of time pressure on detachment (e.g., Gerhardt et al, 2020) and detachment on sleep quality (Reis & Prestele, 2020) in isolation, yielding mixed results. Specifically, only Reis and Prestele (2020) found the association between daily detachment and sleep quality the following night, while Gerhardt et al (2020), for example, did not.…”

“…S. Smith et al, 2011) also predicts changes in employees’ sleep quality in the short term and whether this effect can be explained by detachment. Previous diary studies examined the specific effects of time pressure on detachment (e.g., Gerhardt et al, 2020) and detachment on sleep quality (e.g., Reis & Prestele, 2020) in isolation, yielding mixed results. To the best of our knowledge, no single diary study has examined the mediating role of detachment.…”

Using leisure crafting to reduce emotional exhaustion at home during the COVID‐19 pandemic through better sleep and not thinking about the pandemic

“…COR theory also specifies that individuals have to invest their resources to gain more resources and that those who have acquired resources become less vulnerable to resource loss (Halbesleben et al., 2014). Sleep quality is a protective resource that facilitates individuals' ability to deal with emotional stressors (Diestel et al., 2015; Gerhardt et al., 2020). Although psychological detachment may not be viewed as a resource, it may be regarded as a mechanism that facilitates individuals in replenishing their personal resources (e.g., energy; Sonnentag & Natter, 2004).…”

“…COR theory also specifies that individuals have to invest their resources to gain more resources and that those who have acquired resources become less vulnerable to resource loss (Halbesleben et al, 2014). Sleep quality is a protective resource that facilitates individuals' ability to deal with emotional stressors (Diestel et al, 2015;Gerhardt et al, 2020).…”