Socioeconomic impact of insomnia in working populations

Abstract

To determine whether insomnia impact the professional life of patients and have an economical weight, this review article focused on the socioeconomic impacts of sleep related problems in working populations. The goal is to summarise the work that has been accomplished in that field. Several occupational factors have an impact on insomnia: the work schedules (shift work and night work), the physical environment at work and the occupational stressors. Insomnia is also a common problem in daytime workers. The daytime functioning of insomniacs is a key point to understand the impact of insomnia on workers. Absenteeism is one major target in the evaluation of severe insomnia at the workplace. Most of the studies find a higher rate of work accidents in insomniacs. The economic impact is severe in term of direct and indirect costs. Insomnia is a common problem at the workplace. The negative impact is not only on individual but also at the societal levels. More epidemiological studies appear warranted to demonstrate a reciprocal link between work conditions and sleep disorders.