The impact of acute COVID-19 symptoms on insomnia: A longitudinal study among medical students
Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly disrupted global mental health. Medical students, already vulnerable to high stress, experience heightened psychological distress. This study aimed to investigate the association between acute COVID-19 infection and the development of psychological sym...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-10-01
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| Series: | Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354625001255 |
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| Summary: | Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly disrupted global mental health. Medical students, already vulnerable to high stress, experience heightened psychological distress. This study aimed to investigate the association between acute COVID-19 infection and the development of psychological symptoms in medical students, exploring the role of specific COVID-19 symptoms and lifestyle factors. Methods: A longitudinal study of 2359 medical students assessed psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety, insomnia) before and after COVID-19 infection. Logistic regression models, adjusted for confounders, examined the relationship between COVID-19 status (with or without infection), and the onset of psychological symptoms. The study also explored acute COVID-19 symptoms and lifestyle factors associated with psychological symptoms in the COVID-19 infected (COVID+) group. Findings: The COVID + group exhibited significantly greater increases in depression and insomnia compared to non-infected group. COVID-19 infection was significantly associated with the onset of insomnia post-infection (OR [95 % CI] 1.83 [1.05–3.21]). Moderate to severe acute symptoms, including sleep disturbances (2.20 [1.17–4.14]), decreased attention/memory (2.47 [1.02–6.00]), and breathlessness (2.05 [1.08–3.85]), were identified as risk factors for onset of insomnia. Regular exercise was found to be negatively associated with the onset of insomnia (0.54 [0.33–0.88]). Conclusion: Early intervention targeting these acute-phase risk symptoms is crucial for preventing long-term insomnia. Regular exercise is effective in preventing the development of insomnia in medical students following COVID-19 infection. These findings will assist in formulating targeted interventions to address recurrent infections in the post-pandemic era. |
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| ISSN: | 2666-3546 |