Relationship between insomnia and rest time between shifts among shift workers: A multicenter cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Sleep Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Shift work is prevalent and associated with various health issues.
• Insufficient rest between shifts, defined as quick return (QR), is a common concern.
• Previous research suggests QR negatively impacts sleep and well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between quick return (QR) rest periods and the incidence of insomnia among shift workers.
• To establish a correlation using a multicenter retrospective study design.
• To leverage the Korean Workers Health Examination-Common Data Model (CDM) for robust analysis.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter retrospective study involving 33,669 workers from January 2015 to December 2017.
• Data collected included night-shift profiles and baseline demographics from three hospitals.
• Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Main Results:

• Workers reporting QR had a significantly higher risk of sleeplessness (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.12-1.31) compared to those with slower return periods.
• The association remained significant after adjusting for potential confounding factors.
• A higher proportion of men were observed in the QR group across all participating institutions.

Conclusions:

• A substantial correlation exists between quick return (QR) rest periods and insomnia in shift workers.
• The findings support the use of the CDM approach for analyzing large-scale occupational health data.
• This research provides a foundation for developing guidelines to improve shift worker health and prevent accidents.