Work

Associations between SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Multidimensional Sleep Health

Year: 2026

Type: preprint

Abstract: Puhrpose To evaluate the short- and long-term cross-sectional associations between COVID-19 infection and multidimensional sleep health. Methods Data from the COVID-19 Outbreak Public Evaluation (COPE) initiative were used to examine the association between a novel multidimensional sleep health measure (COPE Multidimensional Sleep Health Scale, CMSHS) modeled from the RuSATED instrument and (1) COVID-19 infection and (2) post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). Results Data from 11,326 respondents were used for this study. The cohort was comprised of 51% women, 61% non-Hispanic White, and 17% Hispanic adults. COVID-19 infection was more prevalent among participants who had not received a booster vaccination (55.4% vs. 30.2%, p<0.001); the number of comorbid conditions was higher among those who had been infected (2.2% vs. 1.7%, p<0.001). Participants with COVID-19 infection had significantly lower CMSHS scores indicative of worse sleep health compared with uninfected participants (3.52 ± 1.37 vs. 3.78 ± 1.30; p < 0.001). Participants with PASC had lower CMSHS scores in comparison to those without PASC (2.72 ± 1.30 vs. 3.82 ± 1.28, p<0.001). In adjusted models, a progressive decline in CMSHS scores was observed over 12 months following infection (3.52 ± 0.05 vs. 2.98 ± 0.04; p < 0.001 for <1 month vs. 6–12 months). Conclusion Compared with uninfected individuals, multidimensional sleep health was worse among persons who had a COVID-19 infection. Individuals with PASC had greater and persistent reductions in sleep health for up to 12 months post-infection. Brief summary Several studies have examined the negative effects of COVID-19 on sleep, however the effects of COVID-19 infection on multidimensional sleep health remain poorly understood as do these associations over time. Using a large, population-based cohort, this study evaluates short- and long-term effects of Covid-19 infection on overall sleep health. The study provides evidence that COVID-19 infection is associated with impairments in overall sleep health, with effects persisting up to 12 months post-infection. The findings in this study demonstrate that poor sleep health is an important long-term consequence of COVID-19 infection and emphasizes the need for sleep assessment among patients affected by COVID-19.

Source: medRxiv

DOI: 10.64898/2026.02.19.26346546