An alarming new study, published in Frontiers in Public Health, reveals that a staggering 76% of Vietnamese patients who experienced mild COVID-19 infections in the past six months are now suffering from insomnia. Out of those respondents, 22.8% reported experiencing severe insomnia. The study, based on surveys given to 1,056 adults who had previously been diagnosed with COVID-19, sheds light on the long-term impact of the virus on sleep health.

The participants, all reached through a national Vietnamese register of confirmed COVID cases, were not hospitalized for their infections and had no history of insomnia or psychiatric conditions. Surveys were conducted from June to September 2022 and assessed a range of symptoms, including anxiety, depression, stress, and insomnia. Participants were asked to compare their sleep quality, duration, and ease of falling asleep in the two weeks prior to contracting COVID-19.

Among the respondents who reported insomnia, half experienced new and frequent episodes of waking up at night, while one-third had difficulty falling asleep. Astonishingly, the rate of insomnia in those recovering from COVID-19 was found to be much higher than the general population, which typically ranges between 10% and 20%.

Importantly, the study found no correlation between the severity or duration of initial COVID symptoms and the subsequent development of insomnia. Even those who had asymptomatic COVID-19 infections reported experiencing insomnia. However, the researchers did identify a strong correlation between an increase in depressive or anxiety symptoms following COVID-19 and the risk of developing insomnia. Participants with high depression or anxiety scores had more than triple the odds of developing insomnia.

Based on these findings, the study's authors suggest that there is a need for comprehensive interventions to address the psychological and sleep health of COVID-19 patients after recovery. They emphasize the importance of pharmacologic treatment for insomnia in these individuals.

Dr. Huong T. X. Hoang, the lead author of the study and a sleep researcher at Phenikaa University in Vietnam, reaffirmed the significance of the findings. As a sleep researcher, Dr. Hoang had personally encountered numerous complaints about sleep disturbances from friends, relatives, and colleagues who had recovered from COVID-19. He urged individuals experiencing insomnia after COVID-19 not to dismiss it as normal.

This study serves as a stark reminder of the long-lasting effects of COVID-19 on sleep health and emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to support the psychological well-being and sleep quality of patients recovering from the virus.