Suguru Nakajima

Aim: Cold hypersensitivity in the hands and feet (CHHF) is particularly prevalent among women and older individuals. However, CHHF in the working‐age population has not been elucidated. Methods: We analyzed anonymized data of 26,131 currently employed individuals from the 2019 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions, a nationwide survey by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare that used stratified two‐stage random sampling. CHHF was defined as self‐reported cold sensations in the hands and feet without organic abnormalities. Variables included sex, age, education, marital and economic status, lifestyle, nonrestorative sleep (NRS), mental health, and accompanying symptoms. Sex‐stratified binary logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, education, marital and economic status, smoking, drinking, NRS, and mental health. Results: The overall CHHF prevalence was 5.0 and 18.4 per 1000 persons in men and women (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.0–6.2 and 16.0–21.1), respectively. CHHF was positively associated with NRS (men, odds ratio [OR]: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.14–3.37; women, OR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.34–2.66) and mental distress (moderate: men, OR: 3.60, 95% CI: 1.99–6.52; women, OR: 3.79, 95% CI: 2.55–5.64; serious: men, OR: 9.31, 95% CI: 4.45–19.49; women, OR: 10.30, 95% CI: 6.39–16.61) and negatively with higher education (men, OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.29–0.98; women, OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.34–0.85). Conclusion: CHHF is not rare among working‐age Japanese individuals—particularly women—and is strongly linked to poor mental health and NRS, whereas higher education is negatively associated. Workplace health measures addressing sleep quality and psychological distress may help reduce CHHF.

Worsening adolescent mental health is a significant social issue. Although dreams may reflect one’s mental state, few studies have focused on adolescents. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between dream content and mental health, specifically anxiety disorder and depressive symptoms, among Japanese adolescents. This cross-sectional study obtained data on gender, grade, age, lifestyle habits, weekday sleep duration, anxiety disorder symptoms, depressive symptoms, and dreams from Japanese high school students. The data were analyzed via multiple logistic regression analyses. The prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms increased with the frequency of “rumination at bedtime”, “memory of dreams”, “emotional carryover”, and “awakening by frightening”, “unpleasant”, “film-like”, “fantastical”, and “recurring” dreams. However, this was not the case for “pleasant dreams”. Furthermore, “rumination at bedtime” (anxiety disorder symptoms: adjusted odds ratio: 10.60; 95% confidence interval: 5.92–18.97; depressive symptoms: 8.79, 5.58–13.87) and “unpleasant dreams” (anxiety disorder symptoms: 5.25, 2.86–9.64; depressive symptoms: 10.13, 5.57–18.44) exhibited particularly high odds ratios. “Rumination at bedtime” and “unpleasant dreams” may serve as early indicators of declining mental health. School- and parent-led interventions aimed at improving mental well-being may help prevent the progression or exacerbation of anxiety and depressive symptoms among adolescents.

It is unclear whether patterns of alcohol consumption are associated with sleep disturbance. We aimed to investigate the relationship between comprehensive alcohol-related factors and insomnia symptoms, as well as sleep quality, among adult women in Japan. Responses to an online cross-sectional survey were gathered from 12,000 women. The survey items included demographic characteristics, alcohol consumption (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, nightcaps, years of drinking), sleep-related factors (sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, sleep quality), lifestyle-related factors, and mental health. Binary logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and both insomnia symptoms and sleep quality. A total of 10,233 women were included in the final analysis. The results revealed that several alcohol-related behaviors, including the consumption of nightcaps and years of drinking, were significantly associated with insomnia symptoms and poor sleep quality. Specifically, nightcaps were significantly associated with all types of insomnia symptoms and poor sleep quality, with a higher odds ratio than other alcohol-related items. Our findings suggest that specific alcohol-related behaviors, particularly the consumption of nightcaps, are associated with insomnia symptoms and poor sleep quality among women. Intervention programs for alcohol consumption should be provided to prevent sleep problems among women.

Few studies have examined the relationship between teleworking practices and presenteeism. This study determined the association between teleworking practices and presenteeism among teleworkers in Japan. A cross-sectional online survey was administered to 2687 teleworkers from five companies in Japan, collecting data on demographic variables, teleworking practices, frequency and duration of teleworking, presenteeism, and various lifestyle- and health-related factors. A logistic regression analysis was performed. Teleworkers with full-time employment and less teleworking experience exhibited higher presenteeism rates. Key practices negatively associated with presenteeism included creating a dedicated workspace, chatting with colleagues, and setting daily work goals. Gender differences were significant: for men, additional practices, such as determining their work hours, were beneficial; while for women, chatting with colleagues was particularly important. A sensitivity analysis indicated that specific teleworking practices can mitigate presenteeism. Certain teleworking practices, such as creating a workspace, chatting with colleagues, and setting work goals, were associated with lower presenteeism among teleworkers. These findings highlight the need for organizations to support telework ergonomics, promote social interaction, and encourage goal setting to enhance teleworker productivity and health. Training for employees and supervisors to raise awareness of their own and their subordinates’ health while teleworking is advised.