Working Hours, Sleep Disturbance and Self-Assessed Health in Men and Women: A Multilevel Analysis of 30 Countries in Europe

Sex-Specific Associations Between Lifestyle Factors and Sick Leave in the Serbian Working Population: Findings from the National Health Survey

Background/Objectives: Sick leave is influenced by various modifiable lifestyle factors and sex differences. This study investigates the associations between body mass index, fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption and sick leave among Serbia's working population, with emphasis on sex differences. Methods: Data from the 2019 National Health Survey of Serbia were analyzed, involving a sample of 4652 individuals. Chi-square tests and logistic regression models assessed the relationships between lifestyle factors and sick leave. Results: Among the participants, 15.8% reported sick leave in the past 12 months, with higher rates among women in both short-term (13.9% vs. 10.6%) and long-term (3.4% vs. 2.2%) sick leave. This study identifies obesity (OR = 2.6), poor dietary habits (fruit OR = 2.1; vegetables OR = 2.8), smoking (OR = 1.9), and risky alcohol consumption (OR = 4.1) as key predictors of sick leave in men, while smoking (OR = 1.8) and risky alcohol consumption (OR = 3.1) are major predictors in women. The inconsistent association between diet, physical activity, and sick leave may be attributed to differences in reporting accuracy, differing definitions of healthy intake, or the influence of unmeasured lifestyle factors. Conclusions: Smoking and risky alcohol consumption increase the odds of sick leave for both sexes. Interventions targeting smoking cessation and mitigating risky alcohol consumption could significantly decrease sick leave rates. While fruit and vegetable consumption, along with physical activity, showed inconsistent effects in both sexes, further studies are warranted to elucidate their roles.

Work hours, weekend working, nonstandard work schedules and sleep quantity and quality: findings from the UK household longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Atypical temporal work patterns such as working longer than the standard 35-40 h/ week, weekend working, and nonstandard work schedules (i.e. outside of the typical 9-5, including but not restricted to shiftwork) are increasingly prevalent in the UK. Aside from occupation-specific studies, little is known about the effects of these atypical temporal work patterns on sleep among workers in the UK, even though poor sleep has been linked to adverse health problems, lower workplace productivity, and economic costs.

METHOD

We used regression models to investigate associations between three types of atypical temporal work patterns (long and short weekly work hours, weekend working, and nonstandard schedules) and sleep duration and disturbance using data from over 25,000 employed men and women from 2012-2014 and/or 2015-2017 in the UK Household Longitudinal Study, adjusting for potential confounders and psychosocial work factors.

RESULTS

We found that relative to a standard 35-40 h/week, working 55 h/week or more was related to short sleep (less than 7 h/night) and sleep disturbance. Working most/all weekends compared to non-weekends was associated with short sleep, long sleep (more than 8 h/night), and sleep disturbance, as was working nonstandard schedules relative to standard schedules (fixed day-time schedules). Further analyses suggested some gender differences.

CONCLUSIONS

These results should prompt employers and policymakers to recognise the need for rest and recovery, consider how the timing and scheduling of work might be improved to better support workers' health and productivity, and consider appropriate compensation for anyone required to work atypical temporal work patterns.

Insufficient sleep disrupts glucose metabolism during pregnancy by inhibiting PGC-1α

Background

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) impacted about 17 million pregnancies globally and predisposes both the mother and her offspring to metabolic disorders. Insufficient sleep has been shown to be associated with GDM. This study aimed to explore the molecular link between sleep and GDM.

Methods

The sleep of pregnant mice was disturbed with motion a rod and the mice received either dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or ZLN005. Insulin resistance was assessed by intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (GTT). Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and cytokines were measured with respective commercial kits. Gene expression was analyzed with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), western blot, and/or immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results

Sleep disturbance increased blood glucose level and insulin resistance, increased ROS and inflammatory cytokines, and reduced ATP level in pregnant mice. The expression levels of PGC-1α and downstream metabolic genes and antioxidant genes in pregnant mouse muscle were inhibited by sleep disturbance. ZLN005 promoted expression of PGC-1α and its target genes, increased muscle ATP level, decreased muscle ROS, and reduced blood glucose level and insulin resistance in sleep disturbed pregnant mice, indicating that PGC-1α played a critical role in sleep insufficiency caused GDM and might be a target for intervention.

Conclusions

PGC-1 was a key player in the sleep disorder GDM and might be a target for treatment.