Heterogeneous Effects of Gig Work on Sleep and Mental Health Among American Young Adults

• In Event: Student Forum Roundtables Session
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Roundtable 11: Aging, Care, and the Life Course

Abstract

Using data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this paper examines how gig work shapes sleep quality and depression among American young adults. Building on life course and stress process perspectives, we focus on heterogeneity in these associations by labor market participation and progress in transitioning into adult roles, rather than average effects. Results show that gig work is linked to poorer sleep quality and higher depression, but these associations are concentrated among young adults for whom work is likely most consequential: those not enrolled in college, those working full time, and those who are mostly or fully financially responsible. In contrast, gig work is not significantly associated with sleep or depression among young adults with lower levels of labor market participation or limited financial responsibility. These patterns suggest that gig work may be most harmful when it functions as a primary strategy for economic survival rather than a flexible or supplemental source of income. When gig work is structurally necessary, instability in hours, income volatility, and limited protections may heighten stress and reduce opportunities for recovery, contributing to disrupted sleep and psychological distress. By identifying which young adults are most vulnerable to the health costs of gig work, this study advances research on precarious employment and underscores the importance of life course context when evaluating emerging forms of work.

Authors

• Andrew Zhang, Stuyvesant High School

• Lei Lei, Rutgers University-New Brunswick