Insomnia and broken sleep 'linked to heightened risk of coronavirus', study suggests

From inews.co.uk

Insufficient sleep and work burnout have been linked to a heightened risk of viral and bacterial infections according to a global study of healthcare workers

Insomnia and disrupted sleep are linked to a heightened risk of not only becoming infected with Covid-19, but also having more severe disease and a longer recovery period, a study suggests.

Insufficient sleep and work burnout have been linked to a heightened risk of viral and bacterial infections, but it was not clear if these are also risk factors for Covid-19.

Researchers in the US therefore drew on almost 3,000 responses to an online survey for healthcare workers repeatedly exposed to patients with the Covid-19 infection, such as those working in accident and emergency or intensive care, and so at heightened risk of becoming infected themselves.

Staff in the UK as well as the US and across Europe took part. They reported average nightly sleep of between 6 and 7 hours, and every extra hour of sleep at night was associated with 12 per cent lower odds of infection. But an extra hour acquired in daytime napping was associated with 6 per cent higher odds, although this association varied by country.

Around 1 in 4 of those with Covid-19 reported difficulties sleeping at night compared with around 1 in 5 of those without the infection. And 1 in 20 of those with Covid-19 said they had three or more sleep problems, including difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or needing to use sleeping pills on three or more nights of the week, compared with 3 per cent of those without the infection. Compared with those who had no sleep problems, those with three had 88 per cent greater odds of infection.

The researchers concluded: “We found that lack of sleep at night, severe sleep problems and high level of burnout may be risk factors for Covid-19 in frontline [healthcare workers]. Our results highlight the importance of healthcare professionals’ well-being during the pandemic.”

The study is published in the online journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health.

Dr Minha Rajput-Ray, Medical Director of NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition & Health, which co-owns the journal with BMJ, said: “This study spotlights an often neglected area of wellbeing: the need for quality sleep and recharge time to prevent burnout and its consequences. From an occupational and lifestyle medicine perspective, a better understanding of the effects of shift work and sleep is essential for the wellbeing of healthcare staff and other key workers.”

https://inews.co.uk/news/health/insomnia-and-broken-sleep-linked-to-heightened-risk-of-coronavirus-study-suggests-925030