Putting Work to Bed: Stressful Experiences on the Job and Sleep Quality

Most adults spend one-third of every day sleeping and another third of most days at work. However, there is little analysis of the possible connections between common workplace experiences and sleep quality. This study uses the longitudinal and nationally-representative Americans' Changing Lives study to examine whether and how common conditions and experiences at work may "follow workers home" and impinge on their quality of sleep. We also explore how competing stressful experiences at home may influence sleep quality, and whether these are more salient than work experiences. Results show that frequently being bothered or upset at work is associated with poorer sleep quality, and the association is not explained by stressful experiences at home. These findings are discussed in relation to the sociological literatures on work, stress, and emotion.