Deep sleep
As work worries abate, sleep difficulties may also diminish when workers make the transition to retirement, according to a recent study from Finland.
In particular, complaints of nonrestorative sleep and waking up too early in the morning decreased significantly, especially among pensioners who had poor health and stressful work lives before retirement, researchers found.
“People reported experiencing more early morning awakenings and non-restorative sleep during the final working years than after retirement,” said lead author Saana Myllyntausta, a psychology doctoral candidate at the University of Turku.
Sleep is considered non-restorative when a person is still tired after sleeping seven to eight hours. Sleep difficulties and short sleep cycles are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and early death, Myllyntausta and her colleagues note online in the journal Sleep.
“This study would suggest that sleep quality, a key component of our health, is considerably poorer during the working years,” Myllyntausta said.
The study team analysed survey data from 5,800 Finnish public sector employees who retired on a statutory basis between 2000 and 2011. Mandatory...