Relationship between sleep duration and quality and mental health before and during COVID-19 pandemic: Results of population-based studies in Brazil

• Published in: Journal of psychosomatic research Vol. 158; p. 110910
• Main Authors: Schäfer, Antônio Augusto, Santos, Leonardo Pozza, Manosso, Luana Meller, Quadra, Micaela Rabelo, Meller, Fernanda Oliveira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.07.2022; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Anxiety; Brazil - epidemiology; Clinical assessment; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Depression - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder, Major; Humans; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental Health; Pandemics; Population studies; Population-based studies; Psychiatric/Mental Health; Regression analysis; Sleep; Sleep disorders; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - epidemiology; Sleep quality; Stress; Brazil; Sleep quality; Depression; Stress; Mental health
• ISSN: 0022-3999; 1879-1360; 1879-1360
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.110910

This study aimed to evaluate the association between sleep duration and quality and mental health before and amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from two population-based cross-sectional studies conducted in 2019 and 2020 with adults in Criciúma, Southern Brazil. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to screen major depressive episodes, while the perceived stress scale was used to assess perceived stress. Sleep was evaluated through self-reported duration and quality. Crude and adjusted Poisson regression models were used to assess the association between sleep and mental health disorders. A total of 820 (in 2019) and 863 subjects (in 2020) were assessed. Sleep quality presented significant associations with depression and stress in both years, and the magnitude of the association with depression increased amid COVID-19 pandemic. In individuals with poor/very poor sleep quality, the risk of depression in 2019 was 2.14 (95%IC 1.48;3.09) higher when compared to those with good/very good sleep quality. This risk increased to 2.26 (95%IC 1.49;3.40) in 2020. The risk of stress was 1.90 (95%IC 1.42;2.55) in 2019 and 1.66 (95%IC1.34;2.07) in 2020. The sleep duration was not associated with mental health disorders in the adjusted analyses. The results provide important evidence that sleep quality can influence mental health of adults. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have had a considerable impact on this association. •Sleep quality affects mental health.•COVID-19 seems to impact the association between sleep and mental health.•Sleep quality and mental health association has become stronger amid the pandemic.•Sleep quality was associated with a higher risk of stress only during the pandemic.•Sleep quality was associated with depression before and during COVID-19 pandemic.