Workplace bullying associated with sleep disturbances, study finds

Employees who are bullied in the workplace are more likely to suffer from sleep-related disorders, according to a study.

The report, issued in the SLEEP journal, noted a high prevalence of workplace bullying, with 11 percent of women and 9 percent of men experiencing "hostile behavior" at least weekly and for at least six months during the previous 12 months. Researchers at the University College Dublin in Ireland found that this exposure to bullying was significantly associated with self-reported sleep disturbances. Male and female employees who experienced workplace bullying were two times more likely to have disturbed sleep than their colleagues.

Sleep disturbances were defined as either trouble initiating sleep or trouble returning to sleep after prematurely waking up. These disturbances are often accompanied by anxiety, depression, muscle tension, headaches, and an increased risk of suffering work-related injuries and accidents.

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"Workplace bullying may be considered one of the leading job stressors and would be a major cause of suicide and other health-related issues," said Isabelle Niedhammer, epidemiologist and coauthor of the study. "Our study underlines the need to better understand and prevent occupational risk factors, such as bullying, for sleep disorders."

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October 12, 2009

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