Sleepless Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Insomnia Symptoms among Professionally Active Romanians during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic put considerable strain on individual mental health. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of insomnia symptoms among students and employees during this period. Methods: This paper is a cross-sectional analysis using convenience sampling. A web-based anonymous survey was developed and included questions about socio-demographic characteristics, contact with COVID-19, and the Athens Insomnia Scale. Results: 620 participants, 331 students, and 289 employees were included in the final sample. According to the current findings, 21.29% (n = 132) of participants met the criteria for insomnia, and 39.03% (n = 242) met the criteria for mild sleep disturbances. Conclusions: Although respondents reported an increased prevalence of sleep disorders, these changes were not directly related to the presence or severity of the infection but rather to a variety of socio-demographic and lifestyle-related variables. Students associated more frequently with the next-day consequences of insomnia (overall functioning and sleepiness during the day), while for employees, the most prevalent were awakenings during the night and early morning awakenings. Furthermore, sleep difficulties were more prevalent in women, single people, sedentary people, and those with psychiatric disorders.