Across industries where readiness is required around the clock, millions of workers carry an invisible burden: the mere anticipation of being called is enough to prevent the deep rest the body needs. Research emerging from sleep science reveals that uncertainty itself — not just the call that arrives — is the agent of harm, quietly eroding cognitive function, emotional stability, and long-term physical health. This is not simply a story about tired workers; it is a story about how modern labour structures have made a fundamental human need negotiable. The question societies now face is whether
On-Call Work Disrupts Sleep Even Before the Phone Rings
On-call workers experience chronic sleep disruption affecting cognitive function, mental health, and long-term disease risk, with particular impact on emergency services and healthcare workers.
Politics & Governance