Gene-x-environment analysis supports protective effects of eveningness chronotype on self-reported and actigraphy-derived sleep duration among those who always work night shifts in the UK Biobank
Previous research has linked having an eveningness chronotype with a higher tolerance for night shift work, suggesting the ability to work nights without health consequences may partially depend upon having a circadian clock optimized for these times. As chronotypes entrain over time to environmenta...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press
2023
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| _version_ | 1826310490397081600 |
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| author | Akimova, ET Taiji, R Ding, X Mills, MC |
| author_facet | Akimova, ET Taiji, R Ding, X Mills, MC |
| author_sort | Akimova, ET |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Previous research has linked having an eveningness chronotype with a higher tolerance for night shift work, suggesting the ability to work nights without health consequences may partially depend upon having a circadian clock optimized for these times. As chronotypes entrain over time to environmental cues, it remains unclear whether higher relative eveningness among healthy night workers reflects a moderating or mediating effect of chronotype on health. We address these concerns conducting a genome-wide association study and utilizing a polygenic score (PGS) for eveningness as a time-invariant measure of chronotype. On a sample of 53 211 workers in the UK Biobank (2006–2018), we focus on the effects of night shift work on sleep duration, a channel through which night shift work adversely affects health. We ask whether a higher predisposition toward eveningness promotes night shift work tolerance. Results indicate that regular night shift work is associated with a 13-minute (3.5%) reduction in self-reported sleep per night relative to those who never work these hours (95% confidence interval [CI] = −17:01, −8:36). We find that eveningness has a strong protective effect on night workers: a one-SD increase in the PGS is associated with a 4-minute (28%) reduction in the night shift work sleep penalty per night (CI = 0:10, 7:04). This protective effect is pronounced for those working the longest hours. Consistent patterns are observed with an actigraphy-derived measure of sleep duration. These findings indicate that solutions to health consequences of night shift work should take individual differences in chronotype into account. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:52:47Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:483dd241-4367-464b-84f7-a1bf90a6927b |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:52:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:483dd241-4367-464b-84f7-a1bf90a6927b2023-08-01T12:19:27ZGene-x-environment analysis supports protective effects of eveningness chronotype on self-reported and actigraphy-derived sleep duration among those who always work night shifts in the UK BiobankJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:483dd241-4367-464b-84f7-a1bf90a6927bEnglishSymplectic ElementsOxford University Press2023Akimova, ETTaiji, RDing, XMills, MCPrevious research has linked having an eveningness chronotype with a higher tolerance for night shift work, suggesting the ability to work nights without health consequences may partially depend upon having a circadian clock optimized for these times. As chronotypes entrain over time to environmental cues, it remains unclear whether higher relative eveningness among healthy night workers reflects a moderating or mediating effect of chronotype on health. We address these concerns conducting a genome-wide association study and utilizing a polygenic score (PGS) for eveningness as a time-invariant measure of chronotype. On a sample of 53 211 workers in the UK Biobank (2006–2018), we focus on the effects of night shift work on sleep duration, a channel through which night shift work adversely affects health. We ask whether a higher predisposition toward eveningness promotes night shift work tolerance. Results indicate that regular night shift work is associated with a 13-minute (3.5%) reduction in self-reported sleep per night relative to those who never work these hours (95% confidence interval [CI] = −17:01, −8:36). We find that eveningness has a strong protective effect on night workers: a one-SD increase in the PGS is associated with a 4-minute (28%) reduction in the night shift work sleep penalty per night (CI = 0:10, 7:04). This protective effect is pronounced for those working the longest hours. Consistent patterns are observed with an actigraphy-derived measure of sleep duration. These findings indicate that solutions to health consequences of night shift work should take individual differences in chronotype into account. |
| spellingShingle | Akimova, ET Taiji, R Ding, X Mills, MC Gene-x-environment analysis supports protective effects of eveningness chronotype on self-reported and actigraphy-derived sleep duration among those who always work night shifts in the UK Biobank |
| title | Gene-x-environment analysis supports protective effects of eveningness chronotype on self-reported and actigraphy-derived sleep duration among those who always work night shifts in the UK Biobank |
| title_full | Gene-x-environment analysis supports protective effects of eveningness chronotype on self-reported and actigraphy-derived sleep duration among those who always work night shifts in the UK Biobank |
| title_fullStr | Gene-x-environment analysis supports protective effects of eveningness chronotype on self-reported and actigraphy-derived sleep duration among those who always work night shifts in the UK Biobank |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gene-x-environment analysis supports protective effects of eveningness chronotype on self-reported and actigraphy-derived sleep duration among those who always work night shifts in the UK Biobank |
| title_short | Gene-x-environment analysis supports protective effects of eveningness chronotype on self-reported and actigraphy-derived sleep duration among those who always work night shifts in the UK Biobank |
| title_sort | gene x environment analysis supports protective effects of eveningness chronotype on self reported and actigraphy derived sleep duration among those who always work night shifts in the uk biobank |
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