The various kinds of work may interfere in the laborer's quality of sleep. Among the factors, the unemployment caused by the period between the coffee harvests on the agriculture of South Minas may influence the appearance of anxiety and depression symptoms, and it may cause impairments to the quality of life and changes in the rural laborers' pattern of sleep. OBJECTIVE: To appraise the sleep and the effects on the quality of life in the rural laborers in the period between the coffee harvests. METHOD: In the study-group, 40 patients, rural laborers, were evaluated, and in the control-group, 40 patients, fixed laborers. Instruments used: clinical interview, The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality, Index Beck Anxiety Inventory, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life. RESULTS: The study-group showed impairment in the quality of the sleep; anxiety and depression signals and symptoms were high in both groups; being them higher in the harvesters laborers; the quality of life presented good levels in both groups, with losses in the domain "social relationship" between the harvesters; the sleep disturbances influenced the appearance of anxiety and depression signs and symptoms, but they did not interfere in the perception of the quality of life. CONCLUSION: The rural laborers that have fixed labors are less exposed to the symptoms of anxiety and depression - along with sleep disorders - than the harvesters laborers. Thus, the study-group's perception of the quality of life is better than the control-group's.
sleep disorders; unemployment; quality of life; anxiety; rural labor
