People with insomnia and exhaustion are TWICE more likely to become infected with COVID-19, but each additional hour of sleep reduces the risk of infection by 12%, according to the study.
- Investigators examined the results of a survey of 2,884 health workers, 568 of whom reported having contracted COVID-19
- For each additional hour of sleep, the chances of becoming infected with coronavirus decreased by 12%.
- Health workers who had contracted the coronavirus were almost twice as likely to report three or more sleep problems or use sleeping pills.
- Those who experienced daily exhaustion were more than twice as likely to fall ill with COVID-19.
A new study suggests that people who have insomnia or suffer from exhaustion are more likely to get COVID-19.
The researchers found that for every extra hour of sleep, the chances of becoming infected with coronavirus decreased by 12%.
In addition, for those who experience daily exhaustion, they were more than twice as likely to get sick with the virus.
The team, led by the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, believes these conditions weaken the immune system, which increases susceptibility to diseases like COVID-19.
A new study found that health care workers who had been contacted with coronavirus were almost twice as likely to report three or more sleep problems or needed sleeping pills.
Those who experienced daily exhaustion were more than twice as likely to fall ill with COVID-19.
Previous research has related that sleep insufficiency and job exhaustion are associated with an increased risk of viral and bacterial infections.
However, the team says it was unclear whether these factors were also associated with a high risk of COVID-19.
For the new study, published in the journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health, the researchers examined the results of a survey of health workers repeatedly exposed to coronavirus-infected patients.
The survey, which ran from July 17 to September 25, was conducted by health workers in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Respondents were asked details about their lifestyle and health, which included how much sleep they slept and job exhaustion.
Of the 2,884 health workers who took the survey, 568 reported having contracted COVID-19 in the past.
The researchers found that about 24 percent (one in four) of people with COVID-19 said they had difficulty sleeping at night compared to 21 percent, or one in five, of those with COVID. people who had not been infected.
Healthcare workers who had been contacted with the coronavirus were almost twice as likely to report three or more sleep problems or need to use sleeping pills.
For every one-hour increase in sleep at night, there was a 12% lower chance of becoming infected, but a six percent higher probability for each hour of daytime nap.
The same association was also found with burnout.
About 5.5 percent of health care workers who had taken COVID-19 reported daily burns compared to three percent of workers without the infection.
Those who reported frequent burns were also three times more likely to say their infection was severe compared to workers who became ill but did not.
In addition, 18.2 percent of workers who did not fall ill said they never experienced exhaustion compared to 13.7 percent of those who did.
Although the biology for why insomnia and exhaustion increase the risk is not yet clear, the authors believe both conditions weaken the immune system, increasing the chances of contracting COVID-19.
“These studies have suggested that burnout may directly or indirectly predict work-related stress-related illnesses that affect the immune system and alter cortisol levels,” they wrote.
“We have found that lack of sleep at night, severe sleep problems and a high level of burnout can be risk factors for COVID-19 in the forefront [healthcare workers]. Our results highlight the importance of the well-being of healthcare professionals during the pandemic. “
