Sleep Status During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Sleep Characteristics May Not Be Similar in Individuals with and without a History of COVID-19 Infection

Abstract

Objective: Sleep disturbances may occur more frequently during pandemics due to socioeconomic and psychological factors. Infections may also cause a number of long-lasting complications that can be easily overlooked. In this study, we aimed to examine whether the sleep status of the patients who recovered from coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection differs from the individual who lived in the same sociocultural environment but did not have any COVID-19 infection in the same period, or not. Materials and Methods: Two hundred forty-three patients with COVID-19 disease who recovered at least one month before the study enrollment (patient group) and 132 individuals without a history of COVID-19 in the same period (control group) were included. Sociodemographic and medical characteristics of two groups were recorded and a self-assessment form consisting of 17 items was used for sleep evaluation in both groups. Results: Self-assessment scores for the quality of sleep status were lower in patient group (p<0.001). Moreover, subtitle scorings revealed some significant differences between patient and control groups. Patient group reported significantly higher prevalence of sweating at night, waking up tired with headache in the morning, severe snoring, restlessness in legs, and anxiety of not being able to sleep (respectively; p<0.001, p=0.003, p=0.016, p=0.016, p=0.032). Conclusion: Sleep was significantly disturbed in patients even after one month following recovery from COVID-19 infection. This may be related to the disease itself, to aggravated stress factors, or both.

Keywords

• subjective sleep disturbances
• post-covid-19 infection
• pandemics