Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
Date Submitted: Oct 10, 2023
Date Accepted: Sep 11, 2024
Investigating the Associations Between COVID-19, Long COVID, and Sleep Disturbances: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant subset of previously infected individuals experience enduring multisystem symptoms, designated as “long COVID”. Sleep disturbances are frequently reported in this population, yet comprehensive data elucidating COVID-19’s impact on sleep architecture remains scarce.
Objective:
This study aims to conduct an expansive cross-sectional analysis delineating the effects of COVID-19 on sleep quality, while accounting for associated psychological and socioeconomic factors.
Methods:
We distributed validated questionnaires assessing sleep quality (PSQI), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7) and other parameters among 1062 Chinese participants. Descriptive analyses examined infected (n=857) vs. uninfected (n=205) groups, with subsequentanalyses of those with persistent symptoms (“long COVID”, n=273) vs. without (n=789).
Results:
Acute COVID-19 infection modestly increased sleep latency and PSQI scores vs. uninfected individuals (P<.05) but did not affect most other sleep metrics. However, those with long COVID showed substantially impaired sleep across all domains (P<.01). Multivariable regression revealed that socioeconomic, health, and psychosocial factors strongly predicted sleep quality amongst COVID-19 patients beyond direct viral effects.
Conclusions:
While acute COVID-19 mildly affects sleep, long COVID profoundly disrupt sleep quality. A complex interplay of demographic, medical, and behavioral factors influence sleep outcomes. These insights highlight priorities for screening and targeted interventions to improve sleep amongst COVID-19 survivors.
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