Distribution of sleep components while working remotely.

Abstract

Objectives: The circadian system is the main regulator of almost all human physiological processes. The aim of this study was to assess sleep in the working population, in relation to the share of remote working.

Material and methods: An online survey was conducted among students and staff representing 3 universities in Łódź, Poland (N = 1209). The participants were divided into 3 groups according to the percentage of time they worked remotely. Group I consisted of respondents performing tasks remotely for ≤45% of their working time; group II included respondents performing their duties remotely for >45-75% of their working time, and group III included those working >75% of their time remotely.

Results: performing their duties remotely for >45-75% of their working time, and group III included those working >75% of their time remotely. Results: In the study, the authors found the association between the length of time spent on a computer, the percentage of time working remotely, and the occurrence of physical symptoms and the prevalence of sleep disorders. The most significant difference between working days and days off in terms of the mid-point of sleep (1.5 h) was observed in group I, where there was the greatest variability in the form of work performance. The participants who worked most of their time remotely (group III) shifted their bedtime to midnight, both on working days and on days off.

Conclusions: The study highlights that increased remote computer use leads to a shift in sleeping patterns towards midnight. The participants with later midpoint of sleep hours were found to have a higher incidence of sleep disorders. The prevalence of sleep disorders was significantly impacted by prolonged mobile phone use before bedtime and long hours of computer use. Thus, limiting both the time spent in front of a computer and the use of mobile phones before bedtime is recommended. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(1):34-44.