Distribution of sleep components while working remotely.

Area of Science:

• Chronobiology and Sleep Science
• Occupational Health
• Public Health

Background:

• The circadian system regulates human physiology.
• Remote work has become prevalent, potentially affecting work-life balance and health.
• Understanding the impact of remote work on sleep is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess sleep patterns in the working population.
• To investigate the relationship between the extent of remote work and sleep quality.
• To identify factors contributing to sleep disorders in remote workers.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was conducted among 1209 university students and staff in Łódź, Poland.
• Participants were categorized into three groups based on the percentage of time worked remotely (≤45%, >45-75%, >75%).
• Sleep patterns, physical symptoms, and screen time habits were analyzed in relation to remote work prevalence.

Main Results:

• Increased remote work and prolonged computer use were associated with physical symptoms and a higher prevalence of sleep disorders.
• The greatest variability in sleep midpoint between workdays and days off (1.5 hours) was observed in the group with the least remote work (≤45%).
• Participants working predominantly remotely (>75%) shifted their sleep midpoint to midnight on both workdays and days off.

Conclusions:

• Extensive remote computer use shifts sleep patterns towards later times, increasing the incidence of sleep disorders.
• Prolonged mobile phone use before bedtime and long computer hours significantly impact sleep disorder prevalence.
• Recommendations include limiting computer use and avoiding mobile phones before sleep to mitigate sleep disturbances.