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. 2020 Jul-Aug;62(4):370-378.
doi: 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_523_20. Epub 2020 Jul 27.

Changes in sleep pattern and sleep quality during COVID-19 lockdown

Ravi Gupta  1 , Sandeep Grover  2 , Aniruddha Basu  1 , Vijay Krishnan  1 , Adarsh Tripathi  3 , Alka Subramanyam  4 , Anil Nischal  3 , Arshad Hussain  5 , Aseem Mehra  2 , Atul Ambekar  6 , Gautam Saha  7 , Kshirod Kumar Mishra  8 , Manish Bathla  9 , Mukesh Jagiwala  7 , Narayana Manjunatha  10 , Naresh Nebhinani  11 , Navendu Gaur  12 , Niraj Kumar  13 , Pronob Kumar Dalal  3 , Pankaj Kumar  14 , Purav Kumar Midha  15 , Ritu Daga  16 , Sai Krishna Tikka  17 , Samir Kumar Praharaj  18 , Sandeep Kumar Goyal  19 , Shweta Kanchan  20 , Siddharth Sarkar  6 , Sourav Das  21 , Sujit Sarkhel  22 , Susanta Kumar Padhy  23 , Swapnajeet Sahoo  2 , T S Satyanarayana Rao  24 , Vaibhav Dubey  25 , Vikas Menon  26 , Vishal Chhabra  27 , Vivekanand Lahan  7 , Ajit Avasthi  28
Affiliations

Changes in sleep pattern and sleep quality during COVID-19 lockdown

Ravi Gupta et al. Indian J Psychiatry. 2020 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Introduction: To mitigate the spread of the pandemic coronavirus infection (COVID-19), governments across the world have adopted "lockdowns" which have confined many individuals to their homes. This disrupts normal life routines, elements of which are important circadian cues. The pandemic is also associated with new stressors, altered roles, and uncertainties about health and economic security, which are also likely to affect sleep. The current study is an online survey of sleep experience, routines, physical activity, and symptoms of anxiety and depression, to study the alterations associated with the lockdown.

Materials and methods: The survey was conducted in early May 2020 using a questionnaire circulated through social media platforms. Questions related to demographic characteristics, current and previous sleep schedules, routine, and working patterns. Insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index - 4), Stress (Perceived Stress Scale - 4), anxiety and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire - 4) and physical activity (International Physical Activities Questionnaire) were assessed using standardized instruments.

Results: A total of 958 valid responses were received. Compared to the prelockdown period, there was a shift to a later bedtime and waking time, with a reduction in night-time sleep and an increase in day-time napping. These effects were visible across occupational groups, but mostly affected working individuals except health professionals. Sleep quality deteriorated across groups. Reductions in sleep duration were associated with depressive symptoms.

Conclusions: The COVID-19 lockdown is associated with changes in sleep schedule and in the quantity and quality of night-time sleep. Although these changes are associated with elevated rates of emotional symptoms, it is unclear from these cross-sectional results, whether sleep deterioration produces psychological distress, or vice versa.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; home-confinement; lockdown; pandemic; sleep.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a-d) Sleep-related variables in subjects during home confinement during COVID-19
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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