Association Between Telecommuting Preference-Frequency Mismatch and Insomnia Among Japanese Workers in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Abstract

We hypothesized that telecommuting's impact on sleep varied based on preference-frequency mismatch. Here, we evaluated this relationship in a large cohort of Japanese workers. We collected data from 33,302 Japanese workers through an online survey and analyzed participant preferences and frequency of telecommuting in 9425 individuals who responded to a follow-up survey. We evaluated sleep using the Athens Insomnia Scale and estimated odds ratios of insomnia using multilevel logistic regression. Workers preferring telecommuting had a higher risk of insomnia as telecommuting frequency decreased. OR for insomnia was 1.87 ( P < 0.001) in those who telecommuted less than once per week. Telecommuting's impact on workers' sleep depends on preference mismatch, with a higher risk of insomnia among those who prefer telecommuting but are unable to utilize it.