New research reveals that workplace bullying not only impacts an employee’s sleep but also affects their partner’s sleep quality. This study highlights how exposure to bullying by superiors or colleagues can lead to various negative health outcomes, with a particular focus on issues related to sleep.
Researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK, along with experts from Complutense University of Madrid and Seville University in Spain, conducted a study that examines the short-term consequences of workplace bullying on various indicators of sleep. These include waking up too early, interference with daily life due to poor sleep quality, and dissatisfaction with one’s own sleep.
Published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, their research aimed to explore how workplace bullying influences insomnia and tests the role of “anger rumination,” a process involving repetitive thoughts about distressing events such as bullying. The study found that the relationship between workplace bullying and sleep quality becomes more pronounced over time, particularly with regard to difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep through the night, and waking up early.
Interestingly, they also discovered evidence suggesting that insomnia symptoms can be contagious within relationships—meaning that one person’s poor sleep can negatively impact their partner’s sleep. This finding underscores the interconnected nature of sleep health in close-knit partnerships.
The lead author from UEA’s Norwich Business School, Professor Ana Sanz-Vergel, explained: “Our results indicate that workplace bullying has cumulative and time-dependent effects, extending beyond just individual employees to impact their partners’ sleep as well. When individuals are bullied at work, they may engage in rumination as a coping mechanism. However, this repetitive thinking about distressing events can lead to severe sleep problems such as difficulty falling asleep or staying awake.
“Thus, rumination can be viewed as an ineffective way of handling workplace bullying, potentially causing more harm than good over time.”
While previous knowledge has been limited regarding the short-term impact of bullying on sleep and how it affects individuals beyond those directly experiencing it, this study contributes valuable insights. The team conducted two studies—one involving 147 employees followed for five days, and another studying 139 couples over a period of two months—all participants from Spain.
In both studies, the researchers collected data on workplace bullying exposure, work-related anger rumination, and different indicators of insomnia. Their findings suggest that while bullying can indirectly affect sleep severity through rumination in individual cases, it also impacts aspects such as satisfaction with sleep and how well individuals believe their sleep affects their daily lives.
Professor Sanz-Vergel highlighted the contagious nature of poor quality sleep within couples: “One person’s awakening may cause another to wake up, leading both partners to experience a disrupted nightly routine. Satisfaction with one’s own sleep, however, appears less affected by this mutual influence since it involves more subjective assessments.”
The study authors recommend that interventions around workplace bullying be designed at both the organizational and individual levels. From an organizational perspective, reducing stressors and fostering a healthier work environment are crucial steps forward. At the individual level, developing skills to manage stress effectively is also essential.
Professor Sanz-Vergel added: “Training aimed at disconnection from work can be beneficial in minimizing bullying’s effects. Additionally, couple-oriented prevention programs could help provide coping strategies for both partners involved, thus reducing rumination levels and insomnia symptoms.”
This research was supported by funding from the Spanish Department of Science and Innovation. The study titled ‘Your job makes us lose sleep: The effect of workplace bullying on own and partner’s insomnia’ can be found in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence.
