Leisure-Time Physical Activity and General Health Mitigate Effects of Job Demands on Nonrestorative Sleep: CDC National Healthy Worksite Project

Abstract

Objective: We sought to determine if leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) modified the adverse relationship between high job demands and nonrestorative sleep (NRS).

Methods: We conducted a multivariate logistic regression analysis among workers from the cross-sectional National Healthy Worksite Project (n = 4683) using self-report Likert-Scale data on psychological and physical demands of jobs, LTPA and general health in relation to NRS.

Results: Not engaging in LTPA was associated with NRS for workers with jobs at the lowest or highest levels of the physical demand scale (OR 1.64, 95% CI: 0.96-2.81, OR 2.06, 95% CI: 0.95-4.45; respectively) in comparison to those who met LTPA recommendations. When assessing psychological demands, poor general health was associated with NRS at all levels of the scale independent of LTPA.

Conclusions: LTPA may reduce NRS for workers with jobs at either extreme of physical demands.