Light covid has been linked to an increased risk of developing insomnia

Vietnamese scientists conducted an online survey of more than a thousand people who had experienced mild covidas. The researchers found that the infection was associated with a high prevalence of insomnia during the first six months after infection. For instance, 76.1 percent of respondents experienced symptoms of sleep disturbance and among them, 22.8 percent of participants reported severe insomnia. Additionally, as reported in Frontiers in Public Health, the association was strongest for participants with depression and anxiety.

Among the two hundred different symptoms of covida and long-standing covida, insomnia is considered one of the most common. Two recent systematic reviews showed a high prevalence of insomnia among covid recovered patients, which ranged from 5.4 to 66.67 percent, although in the general population its prevalence is limited to 36.5 percent.

That said, several high-risk factors for insomnia among covida survivors have been reported. Among others, doctors have emphasized being female, younger age, higher levels of employment and education. However, little is known about the extent to which pre-existing psychiatric disorders may affect the risk of insomnia after covida in milder survivors.

A team of scientists led by Huong Thi Xuan Hoang of Phoeniciaa University conducted an online survey of 1,056 people who had experienced mild covitis no more than six months ago. Women made up two-thirds of all survey participants (68.5 percent), and the average age of the sample was 33.6 ± 10.1 years. 11.7 percent of the participants had chronic diseases, and 291 and 439 participants had relevant symptoms of depression and anxiety, respectively.

The prevalence of insomnia in the population was 76.1 percent, with 22.8 percent of participants reporting severe insomnia. However, between participants with and without insomnia, researchers found significant differences in marital status (p < 0.04), chronic diseases (p < 0.001), depression and anxiety levels (p < 0.001).

In the single-factor regression model, participants who were married and had a college education had significantly lower odds of developing insomnia than those who were single or had only a high school education. The multivariate regression model confirmed the association between various demographic covariates and insomnia, but the strongest association was between insomnia, depression (relative risk 3.45), and anxiety (relative risk 3.93).

This study shows that people who have experienced even a mild form of covida have an increased risk of developing insomnia. The risk was especially high in people with depression and anxiety. These findings suggest that people who have had a mild infection experience severe consequences that place a burden on public health. More research is needed, however, to assess the extent of performance loss in such individuals.

It is not only sleeping pills that can help in the treatment of insomnia. Swedish scientists have found that sleeping under a weighted blanket alleviates insomnia in people with mental disorders.