title: Insomnia in shift work.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Shift work disorder involves insomnia and/or excessive sleepiness associated with the work schedule. The present study examined the impact of insomnia on the perceived physical and psychological health of adults working on night and rotating shift schedules compared to day workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 418 adults (51% women, mean age 41.4 years), including 51 night workers, 158 rotating shift workers, and 209 day workers were selected from an epidemiological study. An algorithm was used to classify each participant of the two groups (working night or rotating shifts) according to the presence or absence of insomnia symptoms. Each of these individuals was paired with a day worker according to gender, age, and income. Participants completed several questionnaires measuring sleep, health, and psychological variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Night and rotating shift workers with insomnia presented a sleep profile similar to that of day workers with insomnia. Sleep time was more strongly related to insomnia than to shift work per se. Participants with insomnia in the three groups complained of anxiety, depression, and fatigue, and reported consuming equal amounts of sleep-aid medication. Insomnia also contributed to chronic pain and otorhinolaryngology problems, especially among rotating shift workers. Work productivity and absenteeism were more strongly related to insomnia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study highlights insomnia as an important component of the sleep difficulties experienced by shift workers. Insomnia may exacerbate certain physical and mental health problems of shift workers, and impair their quality of life.
authors.affiliation: École de psychologie, Pavillon Félix-Antoine-Savard, 2325 rue des bibliothèques, Bureau 1044 Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre d'étude des troubles du sommeil, Centre de recherche Institut Universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, 2525 de la Canardière, Beauport, Québec G1J 2G3, Canada; Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec, Québec, Canada. Electronic address: annie.vallieres@psy.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vallières
authors.affiliation: École de psychologie, Pavillon Félix-Antoine-Savard, 2325 rue des bibliothèques, Bureau 1044 Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors.forename: Aïda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azaiez
authors.affiliation: Institut de réadaptation en déficience physique de Québec, 525 Boulevard Wilfrid-Hamel, Québec G1M 2S8, Canada.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.affiliation: École de psychologie, Pavillon Félix-Antoine-Savard, 2325 rue des bibliothèques, Bureau 1044 Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.affiliation: École de psychologie, Pavillon Félix-Antoine-Savard, 2325 rue des bibliothèques, Bureau 1044 Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre d'étude des troubles du sommeil, Centre de recherche Institut Universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, 2525 de la Canardière, Beauport, Québec G1J 2G3, Canada.
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Morin
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004526:Efficiency / Q000502:physiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Consequences; Health; Shift work disorder; Sleep difficulties; Work schedule