Abstract
Introduction: Many studies from diverse global contexts have reported poor sleep quality and sleep irregularity, changes in lifestyle behaviours, and heightened depression and anxiety during hard lockdowns imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the way in which these variables interact with each other and their relative importance to each other, remains unknown.
Materials and Methods: We conducted an online survey in 1048 South African adults (median age: 27y; 767 women; 473 students) to investigate how insomnia symptoms, sleep regularity, exercise intensity/frequency and sitting/screen-use (sedentary screen-use) interact to predict symptoms of depression and anxiety before and during hard lockdown.
Results: Results of our structural equation models, controlling for student status and self-identified gender, showed that irrespective of lockdown symptoms of insomnia were the strongest predictors of depressive and anxiety-related symptoms. Similarly, irrespective of lockdown high levels of sedentary behaviour, including sitting, where associated with these mental health difficulties. Furthermore, the greater the sedentary behavior, the poorer the sleep quality, which in turn was associated with poor mental health outcomes. Interestingly, during lockdown the extent to which individuals engaged in physical activity had a significant impact on symptoms of depression and anxiety via symptoms of insomnia. Individuals who exercised moderately or vigorously tended to have fewer insomnia symptoms and subsequently reported fewer depressive and anxiety-related symptoms.
Conclusions: Overall, the results highlight the importance of healthy sleep for mental health, especially during periods of stress and upheaval. We also identify important behaviours that influence insomnia, which can be modified to ensure healthy sleep and subsequent mental health.
Materials and Methods: We conducted an online survey in 1048 South African adults (median age: 27y; 767 women; 473 students) to investigate how insomnia symptoms, sleep regularity, exercise intensity/frequency and sitting/screen-use (sedentary screen-use) interact to predict symptoms of depression and anxiety before and during hard lockdown.
Results: Results of our structural equation models, controlling for student status and self-identified gender, showed that irrespective of lockdown symptoms of insomnia were the strongest predictors of depressive and anxiety-related symptoms. Similarly, irrespective of lockdown high levels of sedentary behaviour, including sitting, where associated with these mental health difficulties. Furthermore, the greater the sedentary behavior, the poorer the sleep quality, which in turn was associated with poor mental health outcomes. Interestingly, during lockdown the extent to which individuals engaged in physical activity had a significant impact on symptoms of depression and anxiety via symptoms of insomnia. Individuals who exercised moderately or vigorously tended to have fewer insomnia symptoms and subsequently reported fewer depressive and anxiety-related symptoms.
Conclusions: Overall, the results highlight the importance of healthy sleep for mental health, especially during periods of stress and upheaval. We also identify important behaviours that influence insomnia, which can be modified to ensure healthy sleep and subsequent mental health.
| Original language | English |
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| Pages | S98 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2022 |
| Event | 16th World Sleep Congress - Rome, Italy Duration: 11 Mar 2022 → 16 Mar 2022 https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/sleep-medicine/vol/100/suppl/S1 |
Conference
| Conference | 16th World Sleep Congress |
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| Country/Territory | Italy |
| City | Rome |
| Period | 11/03/22 → 16/03/22 |
| Internet address |
