This Common Work Habit Could Be Ruining Your Sleep, Study Finds
If you’ve been tossing and turning at night, the culprit might not be your nighttime routine—it could be your desk job.
Research highlights a growing concern in our tech-driven world: The more sedentary your workday, the more likely you are to struggle with sleep.1
With 88% of modern jobs now classified as “highly sedentary,” that’s a wake-up call (literally) for anyone who spends most of their day sitting still.
Why your desk job might be draining your sleep
Researchers analyzed data from ~1,300 full-time workers over a decade. They looked at six key markers of sleep health, including sleep onset, regularity, and daytime fatigue, and identified three types of sleepers:
- Good sleepers (consistent, high-quality rest)
- Catch-up sleepers (short sleep during the week, long on weekends)
- Insomnia sleepers (trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, and feeling rested)
They found that people in sedentary jobs were 37% more likely to fall into the “insomnia sleeper” group over time. Nontraditional work schedules also raised the risk of sleep disturbances.
Movement is essential for your sleep
Healthy sleep isn’t just about the hours you clock in bed. It’s also about how you move throughout your day. Regular movement improves circadian rhythm alignment, lowers stress, and helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Need ideas?
- Try these 8 easy ways to sit less
- Or check out our editor’s go-to walking pad
- Bonus: Try this workout designed to improve your sleep quality
The takeaway
Your workday habits matter. Small shifts, like standing up once an hour or taking a walk between meetings, can have a big impact on how you sleep tonight. Movement is medicine for your mind and your rest.