Healthcare workers' sleep quality after COVID-19 infection: A cross-sectional study

Reevaluating Sleep Quality During COVID-19 and Associations With Quarantine, Mental Health, Stress, and Screen Time in Young Adults: Results From a Cross-Sectional Online Survey

The COVID-19 pandemic affected individual sleep quality, especially with high-stress levels. We assessed sleep quality in young adults during COVID-19, and mental health, stress, and screen time (ST) use. An international cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2020 to January 2021. The surveys assessed sleep quality (PSQI), ST use, and mental health. 183 participants were eligible for analysis. The average global PSQI score was 7.29 (sd = 3.58, n = 99). Associations were found between global PSQI scores and Fear of COVID-19 (r (98) = .223, P = .027), anxiety scores (r (99) = -.541, P < .001), increased total stress scores (r (88) = .486, P < .001), and depression (r (97) = .628, P < .001). Those currently quarantining had statistically higher PSQI scores than those who quarantined in the past (F (2,175) = 3.397, P = .036), but not for those who did not quarantine. Differences were found between genders for global PSQI (F (4,94) = 2.865, P < .027) and poor vs good sleep (X2 (1,98) = 3.982, P = .046). There was also a relationship between ethnicity and poor vs good sleep quality (X2 (2,94) = 6.538, P = .038). We did not find associations between ST and sleep quality but found poor sleep quality significantly related to mental health during COVID-19. We found no direct evidence that quarantining itself results in poor sleep quality. Interventions need to maximize sleep quality in certain groups, like females and ethnic minorities.

Sleep Quality, Excessive Daytime Sleepiness, and Physical Activity Level in Health Professionals with and Without COVID-19: a Cross-Sectional Study

Objective  To compare the sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and physical activity level in health professionals infected and not infected with COVID-19. Methods  Cross-sectional study based on online forms (Google Forms) filled out by health professionals who cared for COVID- 19 patients in hospitals in the Recife metropolitan area, Brazil, between October 2020 and May 2021. Anthropometric, sociodemographic, and occupational data were collected, along with the assessment of excessive daytime sleepiness (with Epworth Sleepiness Scale [ESE]), sleep quality (with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]), and physical activity level (with International Physical Activity Questionnaire [IPAQ] - short version). Results  A total of 96 participants were assessed (37 with COVID-19, 59 without COVID-19). There were no differences between the groups regarding physical activity levels classified as sedentary, moderately active, or highly active (p = 0.850), or the weekly energy expenditure (p = 0.522). Infected professionals had a greater workload than non-infected ones, besides poorer sleep quality (10.46 ± 3.75 vs. 7.88 ± 3.75; p = 0.001) and excessive daytime sleepiness (10.19 ± 3.05 vs. 8.44 ± 3.85; p = 0.016). Conclusion  Based on the results, this study shows that professionals infected with COVID-19 have poorer sleep quality, associated with excessive daytime sleepiness, in contrast with non-infected professionals.

Effect of post-COVID-19 condition on sleep: A case report

Post-COVID-19 condition affects patients on various aspects. This 41-year-old female presented to the outpatient clinic complaining of severe insomnia characterized by inconsistent 2 h of sleep per day despite taking sleep aid pills after being infected with COVID-19 and persisting for 6 months after recovery.

A comparison of pain, fatigue, and function between post-COVID-19 condition, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome: a survey study

ABSTRACT

A growing number of individuals report prolonged symptoms following acute Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) infection, known as post-COVID-19 condition (post-COVID-19). While studies have emerged investigating the symptom sequelae of post-COVID-19, there has been limited investigation into the characterization of pain, fatigue, and function in these individuals, despite initial reports of a clinical phenotype similar to fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). This study aimed to characterize multiple symptom domains in individuals reporting post-COVID-19 and compare its clinical phenotype with those with FMS and CFS. A total of 707 individuals with a single or comorbid diagnosis of post-COVID-19, FMS, and/or CFS completed multiple surveys assessing self-reported pain, fatigue, physical and cognitive function, catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, anxiety, depression, dyspnea, and sleep quality. In all 3 diagnoses, elevated pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, catastrophizing, and kinesiophobia were reported. Physical and cognitive function were similarly impacted among individuals with post-COVID-19, FMS, and CFS; however, individuals with post-COVID-19 reported lower pain and fatigue than FMS and CFS. The comorbid diagnosis of post-COVID-19 with FMS and/or CFS further exacerbated pain, fatigue, and psychological domains when compared with post-COVID-19 alone. In summary, individuals with post-COVID-19 report a symptom phenotype similar to FMS and CFS, negatively impacting cognitive and physical function, but with less severe pain and fatigue overall. These findings may help direct future investigations of the benefit of a biopsychosocial approach to the clinical management of post-COVID-19.

Factors Associated with Insomnia and Aggression among Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic

(1) Healthcare workers are exposed to increased risks of insomnia and aggression during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to assess insomnia, sleep disturbances, and aggression and identify the associated risk factors among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) A total of 264 healthcare workers participated in the study. The study was conducted with the diagnostic survey method, using the Buss−Perry Aggression Questionnaire, the Athens Insomnia Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and a self-administered questionnaire. (3) The vast majority of the respondents (81.06%) suffered from insomnia and had poor sleep quality (78.03%). Education (p = 0.038), marital status (p = 0.043), and working with patients suffering from COVID-19 (p = 0.024) were statistically significant contributors to insomnia. Age was found to significantly correlate with total aggression (r = −0.133 p = 0.031), verbal aggression (r = −0.138 p = 0.025), and anger (r = −0.151 p = 0.014). The analysis demonstrated statistically significant relationships between gender and physical aggression (p = 0.017), anger (p = 0.032), and hostility (p = 0.002). A statistically significant positive correlation between the quality of sleep as per the PSQI and all subscales of the BPAQ was found (p < 0.001). (4) A considerable proportion of HCWs experienced sleep disturbances during the outbreak, stressing the need to establish ways to reduce long-term adverse outcomes associated with chronic insomnia and mental health problems and adjust interventions under pandemic conditions.

Irrational Consumption during the COVID-19 Period

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the world economy and has, most presumably, exerted a great deal of stress on citizens, in turn leading to the call for timely assessments of how this period might actually impact individuals at the level of everyday well-being and in their behaviors such as consumer decisions. Through one pilot study and two online survey studies, we tentatively investigated this latter question, and demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic may increase perceived stress and impair individuals’ sleep quality, which in turn impels their irrational consumption. This research provides preliminary evidence for the impact of the present pandemic on irrational consumption and contributes to the literature on stress and consumer behavior.

Time to Sleep?-A Review of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sleep and Mental Health

Sleep is intrinsically tied to mental and overall health. Short sleep duration accompanies the modern lifestyle, possibly reaching epidemic proportions. The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns determined a fundamental shift in the modern lifestyle and had profound effects on sleep and mental health. This paper aims to provide an overview of the relationship between sleep, mental health and COVID-19. Contrasting outcomes on sleep health have been highlighted by most reports during the pandemic in the general population. Consequently, while longer sleep durations have been reported, this change was accompanied by decreases in sleep quality and altered sleep timing. Furthermore, an increased impact of sleep deficiencies and mental health burden was generally reported in health care workers as compared with the adult general population. Although not among the most frequent symptoms during the acute or persistent phase, an increased prevalence of sleep deficiencies has been reported in patients with acute and long COVID. The importance of sleep in immune regulation is well known. Consequently, sleep deficiencies may influence multiple aspects of COVID-19, such as the risk, severity, and prognosis of the infection and even vaccine response.

COVID-19 Vaccine Could Trigger the Relapse of Secondary Hypersomnia

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has brought significant social and economic disruptions and devastating impacts on public health, and vaccines are being developed to combat the disease. Timely vaccination may prevent complications and morbidity but may also potentially result in unforeseen outcomes in some special clinical populations. We report on a case of hypersomnia relapse after the COVID-19 vaccination, with the aim of informing the development of the guideline on vaccination in specific groups. A 19-year old female presented with persistent daytime sleepiness after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. She had a known history of hypersomnia secondary to infectious mononucleosis but has fully recovered for 8 months. A series of examinations were performed on this patient. Neurologic and psychiatric examinations were unremarkable. Despite normal nocturnal subjective sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score = 5, Insomnia Severity Index score = 7), her Epworth sleepiness scale score (15) suggested an abnormal level of subjective sleepiness. Consistent with the subjective report, the objective assessment by Multiple Sleep Latency Test found mean sleep latency was 1.3 min with no sleep onset rapid-eye-movement (REM) period. We speculate that COVID-19 vaccine may potentially trigger the relapse of hypersomnia. The immune memory could be an explanation for the increased response to vaccine in patients with secondary hypersomnia. Caution should be warranted when administering COVID-19 vaccine in patients with hypersomnia secondary to infections.