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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sleep Sci 2022; 15(01): 1-7
DOI: 10.5935/1984-0063.20220027
ORIGINAL ARTICLES

COVID-19 pandemic is associated with increased sleep disturbances and mental health symptoms but not help-seeking: a cross-sectional nation-wide study

Claudia Roberta de Castro Moreno 
1   Brazilian Sleep Association, São Paulo, Brazil.
2   School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
3   Stress Research Institute, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Sweden.
,
Silvia G. Conway
1   Brazilian Sleep Association, São Paulo, Brazil.
4   Akasa - Formação e Conhecimento, São Paulo, Brazil.
5   Psychiatry Department, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.
,
Márcia Assis
1   Brazilian Sleep Association, São Paulo, Brazil.
6   Clínica do Sono de Curitiba, Hospital São Lucas, Curitiba Paraná, Brazil.
,
Pedro Rodrigues Genta
1   Brazilian Sleep Association, São Paulo, Brazil.
12   Laboratório do Sono, LIM 63, Pulmonary Division, Heart Institute (InCor), Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
,
Daniela V. Pachito
1   Brazilian Sleep Association, São Paulo, Brazil.
7   Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Brazil.
8   Compromisso Social, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil.
,
Almir Tavares Jr
1   Brazilian Sleep Association, São Paulo, Brazil.
9   Neurosciences Program and Department of Mental Health, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
,
Danilo A. Sguillar
1   Brazilian Sleep Association, São Paulo, Brazil.
10   ENT Department of the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil.
,
Gustavo Moreira
1   Brazilian Sleep Association, São Paulo, Brazil.
11   Department of Pediatrics and Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil.
,
Luciano F. Drager
1   Brazilian Sleep Association, São Paulo, Brazil.
12   Laboratório do Sono, LIM 63, Pulmonary Division, Heart Institute (InCor), Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
13   Unidade de Hipertensão, Instituto do Coração (InCor), Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
,
Andrea Bacelar
1   Brazilian Sleep Association, São Paulo, Brazil.
14   Carlos Bacelar Clinica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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ABSTRACT

Objective: This study aimed firstly to describe sleep-related and mental health symptoms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a national-wide sample and, secondly, to verify attitudes towards help-seeking to treat these symptoms.

Material and Methods: Data were collected through an online questionnaire sent through the Brazilian Sleep Association’s social media. The questionnaire included sociodemographic and sleep aspects questions currently and before the pandemic period. In addition, the survey addressed current and previous anxiety, depression, and burnout symptoms. The outcome help-seeking was addressed in the questionnaire as well by a single question asked when the participant reported mental or sleep problems.

Results: The study covered 6,360 participants, mean age 43.5 years (SD=14.3), 76.7% female and 63.7% with undergraduate or higher degree filled out the survey. Seventy percent of participants reported sleep disturbances and 80% reported symptoms of anxiety during the pandemic. Help-seeking behavior was found only in one third of them. Hours of sleep reduced from 7.12 to 6.2h, which can be related with the increase in 28.2% of dissatisfaction with sleep duration during the pandemic. The highest frequency of complaints related to sleep was difficulty to fall asleep three or more times a week (going from 27.6% before the pandemic to 58.9% during the pandemic; p<0.001). Moreover, it was observed that help-seeking was more prevalent in men than women, and more in younger participants than in older ones.

Conclusion: There was an increase of sleep and mental self-reported problems during the pandemic, which was not followed by help-seeking.

Keywords:

Sleep - COVID-19 - Help-Seeking Behavior - Mental Health

Funding source

The Sleep Brazilian Association supported this research.




Publication History

Received: 03 February 2022

Accepted: 09 March 2022

Article published online:
01 December 2023

© 2022. Brazilian Sleep Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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