Working hours and sleep duration in midlife as determinants of health-related quality of life among older businessmen.
Long working hours and short sleep duration are associated with a range of adverse health consequences. However, the combined effect of these two exposures on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has not been investigated.



We studied white men born between 1919 and 1934 in the Helsinki Businessmen Study (HBS, initial n = 3,490). Data on clinical variables, self-rated health (SRH), working hours and sleep duration in 1974, and RAND-36 (SF-36) HRQoL survey in the year 2000 were available for 1,527 men. Follow-up time was 26 years. By combining working hours and sleep duration,  four categories were formed: (i) normal work (≤50 hours/week) and normal sleep (>47 hours/week); (ii) long work (>50 hours/week) and normal sleep; (iii) normal work and short sleep (≤47 hours/week); and (iv) long work and short sleep. The association with RAND-36 domains was examined using multiple linear regression models adjusted for age, smoking and SRH.



Compared to those with normal work and sleep in midlife, men with long work and short sleep had poorer RAND-36 scores for physical functioning, vitality and general health, and those with long work and normal sleep had poorer scores for physical functioning in old age. Adjustment for midlife smoking and SRH attenuated the associations, but the one for long work and short sleep and physical functioning remained significant (difference in mean physical functioning score −4.58, 95% confidence interval −9.00 to −0.15).



Businessmen who had long working hours coupled with short sleep duration in midlife had poorer physical health in old age.
Gerontology Research Center and Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.|Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland.
Mikaela Birgitta
MB
von Bonsdorff
University of Helsinki Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care and Helsinki University Hospital, Unit of Primary Health Care, Helsinki, Finland.
Arto
A
Strandberg
Gerontology Research Center and Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.|Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland.
Monika
M
von Bonsdorff
Gerontology Research Center and Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
Timo
T
Törmäkangas
University of Helsinki Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care and Helsinki University Hospital, Unit of Primary Health Care, Helsinki, Finland.
Kaisu H
KH
Pitkälä
University of Helsinki Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care and Helsinki University Hospital, Unit of Primary Health Care, Helsinki, Finland.|Centre for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Timo E
TE
Strandberg
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005387:Finland; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012890:Sleep; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D044465:White People; D016526:Workload