A bibliometric review of sleep and work performance research up to 2023

Andolšek, Jure (author), Černe, Matej (author), Dolenc-Grošelj, Leja (author), Lamovšek, Amadeja (author)

This study systematically maps the research landscape on the relationship between sleep and work performance, identify- ing key intellectual foundations, thematic areas, and structural relationships. Using bibliometric methods, we analyzed 272 peer-reviewed articles retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) database from inception through December 2023. Co-citation, co-occurrence, and bibliographic coupling analysis were conducted in VOSviewer software to identify domi- nant intellectual clusters, examine thematic linkages, and trace the field’s historical evolution. Three dominant themes emerged: the impact of sleep disorders, challenges posed by shift work, and effects of high-stress environments. Findings indicate a shift from primarily clinical concerns to broader organizational perspectives, increased methodological diversity, and growing recognition of sleep as a critical factor in employee health and productivity. Although the field has grown substantially, important gaps remain, such as limited attention to the role of wearable technologies, sleep stages, and the bidirectional nature of the sleep-performance relationship. The results highlight the need for longitudinal field studies and interdisciplinary approaches. Practically, the findings support workplace policies that promote sleep health through scheduling reforms, awareness initiatives, and targeted interventions, particularly for shift workers and those in high-stress professions, to enhance well-being, safety, and performance.

• Language: English
• Keywords: sleep, labour efficiency, bibliometric analysis, work performance, bibliometric methods, employee health, employee well-being
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
• Organization: EF - School of Economics and Business
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 22 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 45, iss. 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180011
• UDC: 331.3
• ISSN on article: 1046-1310
• DOI: 10.1007/s12144-026-09035-3
• COBISS.SI-ID: 266910211
• Publication date in RUL: 27.02.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Current psychology
• Shortened title: Curr. psychol.
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 1046-1310
• COBISS.SI-ID: 1531669

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: spanje, delovna uspešnost, bibliometrična analiza

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: J5-4574
• Name: Omejitve agilnega dela: Preučevanje učinkov agilnosti na spanje in inovativnost

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0441
• Name: Regeneracija ekonomije in posla