Sleep patterns linked to reduced working life in Finland

Two observational studies conducted in Finland suggest that poor sleep or sleeping excessively after the age of 50 can reduce a person's working life by approximately nine months.

Research published in ‘Occupational & Environmental Medicine’ analyzed over 70,000 Finnish public sector employees and 6,000 other working-age adults. The study found that individuals with moderate sleep disorders could expect to work nearly five months less than those without sleep issues, while those with severe disorders saw a reduction of about eight months.

The average working life for those without sleep disorders was 13 years and 5 months, compared to 12 years and 10 months for those with severe disorders. Additionally, sleeping nine hours or more per night was also linked to a shorter period of labor market participation.