Nutritional Status and Sleep Quality as Predictors of Work Fatigue among Shift Workers in Indonesian Convenience Stores: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Work fatigue is a common challenge faced by retail employees, especially those working long shifts in 24-hour convenience stores. This study explored how individual factors—such as age, sex, nutritional status, sleep quality, and length of employment—relate to work fatigue among 50 Indomaret and Alfamart employees in Gajahmungkur District, Semarang, Indonesia. Using questionnaires and the Spearman rank correlation test, the study found that poor sleep quality and abnormal nutritional status (underweight or overweight) were significantly associated with higher fatigue levels (p < 0.001). Sleep quality showed the strongest correlation (r = -0.539), highlighting its critical role. Meanwhile, age, sex, and length of employment were not significantly related to fatigue. These findings suggest that personal health factors—especially sleep and nutrition—may play a more pivotal role in fatigue than demographic or work-related variables. Interventions to improve sleep hygiene and promote balanced nutrition could be effective strategies to reduce fatigue in this often-overlooked workforce