OBJECTIVETo explore tentatively the impact of occupational stress on sleep disorders.

METHODSninety three male freight train dispatchers participated in this study (response rate 80.87%). Sleep disorders, occupational stressors, personalities, and occupational strain response were measured with questionnaires.

RESULTSWorkers with high psychological demands, job stressors,depressive symptoms,physical symptoms, daily life stress, work locus of control had higher sleep disorders scores than their counterparts (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), workers with high job control had lower sleep disorders scores than their counterparts (P < 0.05). Sleep disorders were positively related to psychological demands, job stressors, depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, daily life stress, state-anxiety, strait-anxiety, and susceptibility to stress (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), but negatively to job control and mental health (P < 0.05). Low job control, depressive symptoms, daily life stress and meaningless job were risk factors of sleep disorders.

CONCLUSIONThe sleep disorders are associated with some aspects of occupational stress among male freight train dispatchers.