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Shift-specific associations between age, chronotype and sleep duration.
Chronobiol Int. 2019 06; 36(6):784-795.CI

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the association of age with chronotype and sleep duration in day workers and rotating shift workers, including night shift work. Between October 2012 and February 2015, a cross-sectional study was conducted in a German chemical company. Using the "Munich ChronoType Questionnaire" (MCTQ), data about sleep onset and sleep offset during workdays and work-free days were retrieved and the chronotype was computed during regular voluntary occupational health check-ups. Associations between age and chronotype, as well as sleep duration, were assessed using linear regression analyses. Potential effect modification by the working time system was examined. Within the study period, 4,040 employees (82.3% and 17.7% were engaged in day work and rotating shift work, respectively) completed the questionnaire. Study participants were on average 41.8 years old (Min = 18.0, Max = 65.0, SD = 10.2) and predominantly male (75.4%). Mean chronotype and overall sleep duration was 03:22 (SD = 54 min) and 7.2 h (SD = 1.0 h) respectively. Older age was associated with earlier chronotype and reduced overall sleep duration in both day workers and rotating shift workers (p < 0.001 for all models). Compared to day workers, employees whom engaged in rotating shift work were later chronotypes and had overall a longer sleep duration. With older age, the difference between day and rotating shift workers regarding chronotype increased, while the difference regarding overall sleep duration decreased (pinteraction<0.005 for both models). This finding could indicate that both changes in circadian physiology and exposure to certain work schedules contribute to the age-related changes. Older rotating shift workers, with early chronotypes may have issues with night shifts, while day work and morning shifts may be best compatible to earlier chronotypes. Differences in sleep timing across age groups, might indicate that the same work hours will affect shift workers differently, dependent on their age, suggesting that more flexible and chronotype-adapted work hours could provide useful; especially for older employees. Sleep education in the form of courses and health campaigns could be a way to raise awareness of the importance of a healthy sleep pattern. This could be achieved by learning strategies to better adjust individual sleep patterns to work hours.

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Publisher Full Text (DOI)

Authors+Show Affiliations

Schuster M
a Corporate Health Management, BASF SE , Ludwigshafen am Rhein , Germany.
Oberlinner C
a Corporate Health Management, BASF SE , Ludwigshafen am Rhein , Germany.
Claus M
a Corporate Health Management, BASF SE , Ludwigshafen am Rhein , Germany.

MeSH

AdolescentAdultAge FactorsAgedCircadian RhythmCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSleepSleep Wake DisordersTime FactorsWakefulnessWork Schedule ToleranceYoung Adult

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

30880475

Citation

Schuster, Michael, et al. "Shift-specific Associations Between Age, Chronotype and Sleep Duration." Chronobiology International, vol. 36, no. 6, 2019, pp. 784-795.
Schuster M, Oberlinner C, Claus M. Shift-specific associations between age, chronotype and sleep duration. Chronobiol Int. 2019;36(6):784-795.
Schuster, M., Oberlinner, C., & Claus, M. (2019). Shift-specific associations between age, chronotype and sleep duration. Chronobiology International, 36(6), 784-795. https://doi.org/10.1080/07420528.2019.1586719
Schuster M, Oberlinner C, Claus M. Shift-specific Associations Between Age, Chronotype and Sleep Duration. Chronobiol Int. 2019;36(6):784-795. PubMed PMID: 30880475.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Shift-specific associations between age, chronotype and sleep duration. AU - Schuster,Michael, AU - Oberlinner,Christoph, AU - Claus,Matthias, Y1 - 2019/03/18/ PY - 2019/3/19/pubmed PY - 2020/9/17/medline PY - 2019/3/19/entrez KW - Chronotype – demographic change – MCTQ – shift work – sleep duration – sleep timing SP - 784 EP - 795 JF - Chronobiology international JO - Chronobiol Int VL - 36 IS - 6 N2 - The objective of this study was to examine the association of age with chronotype and sleep duration in day workers and rotating shift workers, including night shift work. Between October 2012 and February 2015, a cross-sectional study was conducted in a German chemical company. Using the "Munich ChronoType Questionnaire" (MCTQ), data about sleep onset and sleep offset during workdays and work-free days were retrieved and the chronotype was computed during regular voluntary occupational health check-ups. Associations between age and chronotype, as well as sleep duration, were assessed using linear regression analyses. Potential effect modification by the working time system was examined. Within the study period, 4,040 employees (82.3% and 17.7% were engaged in day work and rotating shift work, respectively) completed the questionnaire. Study participants were on average 41.8 years old (Min = 18.0, Max = 65.0, SD = 10.2) and predominantly male (75.4%). Mean chronotype and overall sleep duration was 03:22 (SD = 54 min) and 7.2 h (SD = 1.0 h) respectively. Older age was associated with earlier chronotype and reduced overall sleep duration in both day workers and rotating shift workers (p < 0.001 for all models). Compared to day workers, employees whom engaged in rotating shift work were later chronotypes and had overall a longer sleep duration. With older age, the difference between day and rotating shift workers regarding chronotype increased, while the difference regarding overall sleep duration decreased (pinteraction<0.005 for both models). This finding could indicate that both changes in circadian physiology and exposure to certain work schedules contribute to the age-related changes. Older rotating shift workers, with early chronotypes may have issues with night shifts, while day work and morning shifts may be best compatible to earlier chronotypes. Differences in sleep timing across age groups, might indicate that the same work hours will affect shift workers differently, dependent on their age, suggesting that more flexible and chronotype-adapted work hours could provide useful; especially for older employees. Sleep education in the form of courses and health campaigns could be a way to raise awareness of the importance of a healthy sleep pattern. This could be achieved by learning strategies to better adjust individual sleep patterns to work hours. SN - 1525-6073 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/30880475/Shift_specific_associations_between_age_chronotype_and_sleep_duration_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -