04 May Work stress?? Don’t lose sleep over it!
We all have those annoying work colleagues, and sometimes we a taken aback by some of the behaviour we are subject to. However, its not uncommon for us to dwell on this well after quitting time. Recently, Demsky et al. published an article in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology that found that those who experience these sorts of behaviours at work have a greater likelihood of developing insomnia than those that don’t. They also found that relaxing, fun activities at night help us sleep better.
Demsky and her co-authors surveyed 699 employees of the U.S. Forest Service. Participants were asked to rate the level of rude behaviour they experienced in the workplace, how often they had negative thoughts about work, whether they have insomnia symptoms and how much they were able to detach from work and relax. Researchers also asked about the number of children under 18 living at home, hours worked per week, and frequency of alcoholic drinks as these have previously been linked with sleep issues.
Experiencing rude or negative behaviour at work, such as being judged or verbally abused, was linked with more symptoms of insomnia, including waking up multiple times during the night. But people who were able to detach and do something relaxing to recover after work — such as yoga, listening to music or going for a walk — slept better.
Journal reference:
Caitlin A. Demsky et al. Workplace Incivility and Employee Sleep: The Role of Rumination and Recovery Experiences. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 2018 DOI: 10.1037/ocp0000116
Original article found here:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180423110828.htm