Greek financial crisis: From loss of money to loss of sleep?

Background: A negative effect on public health of the Greek population as a result of the financial crisis is reported. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the financial crisis on sleep and health outcomes of employees of the National Railway Organisation who had to face mandatory job transfers, significant reductions in salaries and anticipation of job loss. Methods: Data were analysed retrospectively. A questionnaire of sleep characteristics and habits and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) had been answered in 2005 by 226 male employees working at 7 different railway stations in Greece. Comparisons were made with the answers to the same questions given in 2010 by 224 employees working at the same railway stations. Results: A significant reduction in reported night-time sleep duration was observed (p<0.001), accompanied by an increase in the prevalence of nightmares (p<0.001), sweating at sleep (p<0.001), feeling of suffocation (p<0.001), and daytime sleepiness (p<0.001), accompanied by an increase in ESS score (p<0.001). An increase in consumption of antiacid medication was also observed which was associated with the number of years at work (OR =1.152, p=0.038). Conclusions: Within the Greek financial crisis, sleep duration decreased, while sleep disturbances increased among public employees, facing job insecurity. Hippokratia 2014; 18 (2):135-138.