TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on sleep
AU - Pérez-Carbonell, Laura
AU - Meurling, Imran Johan
AU - Wassermann, Danielle
AU - Gnoni, Valentina
AU - Leschziner, Guy
AU - Weighall, Anna
AU - Ellis, Jason
AU - Durrant, Simon
AU - Hare, Alanna
AU - Steier, Joerg
N1 - Funding Information:
Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at http://dx.doi. org/10.21037/jtd-cus-2020-015). The series “5thClinical Update Sleep” was commissioned by the editorial office without any funding or sponsorship. JS served as the unpaid Guest Editor of the series and serves as an unpaid editorial board member of Journal of Thoracic Disease. JS’s contribution was partially supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre based at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London. JE reports other from Sleep Research and Consulting Limited, grants from NHS Health Education England, grants from NHS Wales, grants from NHS Education Scotland, grants from Irish Rugby Football Union, grants from Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, grants from Sleep Council, grants from Mayborn, grants from Public Health England, and grants from Third City, outside the submitted work. The other authors have no other conflicts of interest to declare.
Publisher Copyright:
© Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/10/14
Y1 - 2020/10/14
N2 - Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in daily routines and lifestyle worldwide and mental health issues have emerged as a consequence. We aimed to assess the presence of sleep disturbances during the lockdown in the general population. Methods: Cross-sectional, online survey-based study on adults living through the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire included demographics and specific questions assessing the impact of the pandemic/ lockdown on sleep, daytime functioning and mental health in the general population. Identification of sleep pattern changes and specific sleep-related symptoms was the primary outcome, and secondary outcomes involved identifying sleep disturbances for predefined cohorts (participants reporting impact on mental health, self-isolation, keyworker status, suspected COVID-19 or ongoing COVID-19 symptoms). Results: In total, 843 participants were included in the analysis. The majority were female (67.4%), middle aged [52 years (40–63 years)], white (92.2%) and overweight to obese [BMI 29.4 kg/m2 (24.1–35.5 kg/m2)]; 69.4% reported a change in their sleep pattern, less than half (44.7%) had refreshing sleep, and 45.6% were sleepier than before the lockdown; 33.9% had to self-isolate, 65.2% reported an impact on their mental health and 25.9% were drinking more alcohol during the lockdown. More frequently reported observations specific to sleep were ‘disrupted sleep’ (42.3%), ‘falling asleep unintentionally’ (35.2%), ‘difficulties falling’/‘staying asleep’ (30.9% and 30.8%, respectively) and ‘later bedtimes’ (30.0%). Respondents with suspected COVID-19 had more nightmares and abnormal sleep rhythms. An impact on mental health was strongly associated with sleep-related alterations. Conclusions: Sleep disturbances have affected a substantial proportion of the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. These are significantly associated with a self-assessed impact on mental health, but may also be related to suspected COVID-19 status, changes in habits and self-isolation.
AB - Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in daily routines and lifestyle worldwide and mental health issues have emerged as a consequence. We aimed to assess the presence of sleep disturbances during the lockdown in the general population. Methods: Cross-sectional, online survey-based study on adults living through the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire included demographics and specific questions assessing the impact of the pandemic/ lockdown on sleep, daytime functioning and mental health in the general population. Identification of sleep pattern changes and specific sleep-related symptoms was the primary outcome, and secondary outcomes involved identifying sleep disturbances for predefined cohorts (participants reporting impact on mental health, self-isolation, keyworker status, suspected COVID-19 or ongoing COVID-19 symptoms). Results: In total, 843 participants were included in the analysis. The majority were female (67.4%), middle aged [52 years (40–63 years)], white (92.2%) and overweight to obese [BMI 29.4 kg/m2 (24.1–35.5 kg/m2)]; 69.4% reported a change in their sleep pattern, less than half (44.7%) had refreshing sleep, and 45.6% were sleepier than before the lockdown; 33.9% had to self-isolate, 65.2% reported an impact on their mental health and 25.9% were drinking more alcohol during the lockdown. More frequently reported observations specific to sleep were ‘disrupted sleep’ (42.3%), ‘falling asleep unintentionally’ (35.2%), ‘difficulties falling’/‘staying asleep’ (30.9% and 30.8%, respectively) and ‘later bedtimes’ (30.0%). Respondents with suspected COVID-19 had more nightmares and abnormal sleep rhythms. An impact on mental health was strongly associated with sleep-related alterations. Conclusions: Sleep disturbances have affected a substantial proportion of the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. These are significantly associated with a self-assessed impact on mental health, but may also be related to suspected COVID-19 status, changes in habits and self-isolation.
KW - Insomnia
KW - Mental health
KW - Sleep disruption
KW - Survey
KW - Virus
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85094621007&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.21037/jtd-cus-2020-015
DO - 10.21037/jtd-cus-2020-015
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85094621007
SN - 2072-1439
VL - 12
SP - S163-S175
JO - Journal of Thoracic Disease
JF - Journal of Thoracic Disease
ER -
