Stress and Sleep Disturbances During a COVID-19 Lockdown April 2020

Abstract

A COVID-19 related Stress Scale was developed for this study to address the specific stressors related to the pandemic lockdown experience. Based on a Survey Monkey study on 260 healthy individuals (18-82 years), the stress scale scores and its individual items were significantly correlated with scores on scales for health, media use, mood states including anxiety and depression, posttraumatic stress symptoms, fatigue and sleep disturbances. Stepwise regression analysis suggested that depression, media use and fatigue scale scores contributed to 52% of the variance on the stress scale scores. In turn, the stress scale scores and items were significantly correlated with sleep disturbances, as were health, anxiety, depression, fatigue and PTSD symptoms. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that 52% of the variance on the sleep scale scores was explained by fatigue and posttraumatic stress scale scores. These data suggest that individuals experiencing COVID-19 lockdowns are experiencing psychological symptoms and lockdown-related stressors that are contributing to sleep disturbances that highlight the need for interventions during lockdowns. Stress and Sleep Disturbances During a COVID-19 Lockdown April 2020