Healthy sleeping habits in middle age are linked to longer working lives, according to the findings of a study by the University of Turku
Researchers examined how sleep duration and sleep difficulties are associated with working-life expectancy — the number of years a person is expected to remain in employment
The study looked at working-life expectancy among Finns aged 50 and over, up to the age of 68
At age 50, the average expected working life was 13 years and two months
Moderate sleep difficulties were linked to around five fewer months of working life, rising to almost eight months among those with severe difficulties
“Our findings highlight the importance of supporting sleep health and treating sleep difficulties in middle age, particularly among people in lower socioeconomic positions,” says the study’s lead researcher, Saana Myllyntausta, docent of sleep and occupational psychology
The researchers also examined sleep duration
Among municipal employees who slept nine hours or more per night, working-life expectancy was around nine months shorter than among those who slept less than nine hours
In a second sample representing the Finnish population more broadly, the difference between the two groups was as much as two and a half years
International recommendations suggest that adults under 65 should generally get seven to nine hours of sleep per night
More than 70,000 Finns took part in the follow-up study
The researchers caution that the findings do not show that sleeping for long periods or experiencing sleep difficulties directly causes a shorter working life
For example, the study could not fully rule out the effects of illnesses and mental health on the relationship between sleep and working-life expectancy
Previous research has nevertheless linked good sleep health with factors including better performance at work, cognitive functioning and overall health
