Investigating the relationship between sleep quality and stress, anxiety and depression in shift workers of one of the food industries

 Shift work among industrial workers can lead to poor sleep quality, which instead is associated with stress, anxiety, and depression. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between sleep quality and stress, anxiety, and depression in shift workers in one of the food industries.

 The participants in this descriptive-analytical study were 208 production line workers in one of the food industries. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire (PSQI), and depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS-21). Spearman's statistical test was used to investigate the relationship between sleep quality and depression, anxiety, and stress. The data were analyzed using SPSS-23 software.

 About 42% of workers reported undesirable sleep quality (score more than 5). Almost half of the workers reported a level of normal stress, anxiety, and depression. The results showed that there is a positive and significant correlation between sleep quality and stress (r=0.20, P<0.01) and sleep quality and depression (r=0.172, P≤0.01) so that the quality of sleep, stress, and depression interact with each other and have a mutual effect.

 According to the results of this study, reducing stress and depression can improve the sleep quality of workers, and in turn, good sleep quality can lead to reducing stress and depression in shift workers. Therefore, identifying the influencing factors and corrective strategies to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression can play an important role in improving the sleep quality of shift workers.