Sleep Disruption and Osteoarthritis Risk

Investigators find that short sleep, insomnia, and night shift work are associated with increased risk of knee and hip osteoarthritis and joint replacement.

By
Kathryn Wighton
February 23, 2026
3 min

MDSpire News

Objective:

To investigate the association between sleep duration, insomnia, and the risk of developing knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA).

Approach:

Key Findings:

Sleeping less than 6 hours per night is associated with a 41% higher risk of knee OA and a 31% higher risk of total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
Persistent insomnia is linked to a 34% higher risk of knee OA and a 40% higher risk of TKA.
Night shift work is associated with a 24% higher risk of knee OA and a 28% higher risk of TKA.

Interpretation:

The findings suggest that inadequate sleep and insomnia may significantly increase the risk of developing knee and hip osteoarthritis, highlighting the importance of sleep hygiene in OA prevention.

Limitations:

Reliance on self-reported sleep and occupational exposures assessed at a single time point.
Lack of data on the duration of exposures and absence of radiographic measures or symptom severity data.
Potential residual confounding from time-varying BMI and occupational demands.

Conclusion:

Optimizing circadian rhythms and sleep through lifestyle changes may offer new strategies for preventing the development and progression of osteoarthritis.