Sleep Researcher Asks if Flexible Work Hours Will Improve Sleep Schedules

Do you have flexible work hours? If not, you may have a case to show your boss that you deserve one, all thanks to a WSU Spokane researcher.

(Don’t blame us for any workplace disagreements)

Gemma Paech is a Research Associate in our Sleep and Performance Research Center. She penned an article for TheConversation.com that looks at whether flexible work hours will help sleep schedules, leading to healthier people.

As Paech notes, lifestyles greatly impact sleep schedules and not everyone is alike – some with kids have extra responsibilities that impact sleep, while others might be night owls.

Paech references a study that showed flexible work hours did show a slight increase in sleep time, though not significantly. Still, an increase is still an increase.

She also says that activities like going out with friends (which could impact your sleep schedule) can reduce stress, which is a good thing.

“It might be a small change, but any improvement in sleep duration and quality, no matter how small, is a move in the right direction towards reducing the sleep deficiency experienced by adults,” she writes. “Over time, this extra hour of sleep each week could lead to positive health affects.”

We suggest giving the article a read and considering your own sleep schedule.