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Workers in These 5 Industries Get the Lowest Quality Sleep

Topics: Data & Research
sleep deprivation
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No doubt you’ve heard tell about the importance of a good night’s sleep. Getting enough rest helps you stay healthy, physically and mentally. But, it’s one of those things that’s easier said than done, especially for some professionals.

Now, thanks to the folks at amerisleep, we know a little more about which workers are getting plenty of shut-eye and which aren’t. They recently surveyed more than 2,000 workers in order to determine the sleep leaders and laggers by industry. Let’s take a closer look at the five industries that came in at the bottom of the list, and try to understand what’s keeping them up at night.

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1. Publishing. Quality of sleep: 2.89 out of 5.

Folks working in publishing are getting less sleep than anyone else, according to the results of this survey. This kind of work, with its fast pace and hurried deadlines, can be stressful to say the least. Plus, it’s not physically draining. (Those working in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting get higher quality sleep than any other group for a reason.)

2. Wholesale and Retail. Quality of sleep: 3.02 out of 5.

It’s hard to get a good night’s rest when you work irregular hours, and folks working in the retail or wholesale industries often do just that. Hours change and shift frequently for these workers based on time of year, special events, and many other factors. It’s hard to get quality sleep on a regular basis without a set schedule.

3. Homemaking. Quality of sleep: 3.07 out of 5.

It’s almost impossible to enumerate all of the tasks associated with being a parent and homemaker. (Some have estimated they’d be paid as much as $96,261 per year if all responsibilities were tallied.) Not to mention the unpredictability, impossibly long hours, and just generalized chaos that comes with this kind of work. It’s no surprise these folks aren’t getting as much sleep as others.

4. Telecommunications. Quality of sleep: 3.13 out of 5.

It turns out that the business of keeping everyone connected (via phone, internet, etc.) in 2017 is a pretty big challenge. And, it’s something that’s very important to businesses as well as individuals. Telecommunications workers reported a relatively low quality of sleep compared to workers in other professions. Hours can vary significantly for these workers, and the job can be quite stressful too.

5. Transportation and Warehousing. Quality of sleep: 3.18 out of 5.

Like wholesale and retail work, folks working in the transportation and warehousing industries (like truck drivers, for example) sometimes work erratic hours. It’s challenging to get a good night’s sleep under these circumstances and that can have a real impact on the work itself. This study found that people who reported poor quality sleep five days or more over the course of a month were 4.7 times more likely to be irritable at work.

For more information, or to see how your profession ranked, be sure to check out the full report for more information.

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Do you think you’re getting enough sleep? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.


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