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Connecting Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Quality of Sleep to Nurse Health: Data from the e-Cohort Study of Nurses and Midwives

Abstract

Tim Henwood, Anthony Tuckett, Nadja E ?Bagadi and John Oliffe

Background: Professional nurses are prone to fatigue and poor health. Getting sufficient physical activity and sleep have reported benefits. However, the benefit of ample sleep and physical activity to nurse health is understudied.

Objective: The goal of the current article is to report nurse general and workplace health, productivity and wellbeing by comparing those professionals with recommended levels of physical activity and sleep to those with reduced profiles.

Design: Data were generated from the 2006-08 delivery of the e-Cohort survey of nurses and midwives.

Methods: The primary analysis (n=3967) was based on the physical activity and sleep categories: (LS1) Meeting the recommended guidelines or above for both leisure physical time activity and sleep; (LS2) Meeting the recommended guidelines or above for leisure time activity but not sleep; (LS3) Meeting the recommended guidelines or above for sleep but not leisure time activity; and (LS4) Not meeting the recommended guidelines for both leisure time activity and sleep.

Results: LS1 were significantly younger, had a lower body mass index than any other group and were the least likely to report in-work difficulty, emotional barriers to workplace productivity and restriction in basic daily tasks. LS4 were more likely to have osteoarthritis, depression and high blood pressure.

Conclusion: The study findings confirm health benefits from achieving recommended levels of physical activity and sleep. Adherence to beneficial lifestyle behaviours has important implications for the self-health of nurses. Workforce administrators should consider this when designing programs to reduce nurse workplace burnout and aid workforce retention.