Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
201,818 studies31 sourcesUpdated 54 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Frontiers in Public Health

Self-reported long COVID associated with sleep problems and poor sleep quality among adults in Germany: results of the German Health Update 2023 (GEDA 2023)

  • Ann-Kristin Beyer1
  • Dinara Yessimova1
  • Lisa Kümpel1
  • Grit Eckert1
  • Robert Schlack1
  • Hannelore Neuhauser1
  • Giselle Sarganas1
  • Julia Nübel1
  1. 1Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch Institute
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Introduction: Long COVID refers to various long-term health impairments following a SARS-CoV-2 infection, including physical, cognitive, and psychological symptoms. Sleep problems are among the most prevalent neuropsychiatric symptoms of long COVID and can negatively affect daily functioning and quality of life. This study aims to investigate sleep onset problems, problems maintaining sleep and poor sleep quality in associations with long COVID among adults in Germany.

Methods: Analyses are based on data from the cross-sectional nationwide telephone interview survey “German Health Update” (GEDA 2023). Between March 2023 and February 2024, 9,310 adults (50.8% female, median age = 60.8 years) answered questions on any prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and long COVID status, as well as on sleep onset problems, problems maintaining sleep and poor sleep quality over the past 4 weeks. Weighted prevalence estimates for each sleep variable were calculated by self-reported SARS-CoV-2 infection and long COVID status. Multivariable logistic regressions were conducted, adjusted for age, sex, level of education, chronic conditions, depressive symptoms, COVID-19 vaccination status, and multiple SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Results: Participants with self-reported current long COVID reported higher proportions of sleep onset problems (32.6%), problems maintaining sleep (47.8%) and poor sleep quality (44.8%) compared to participants without a SARS-CoV-2 infection (20.0%, 30.8 and 24.1%, respectively) or prior infected participants without long COVID (13.8%, 23.8 and 20.0%, respectively). In multivariable logistic regression analyses, participants with self-reported current long COVID had an increased likelihood of experiencing problems maintaining sleep (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.73; 95% CI = 1.23–2.44) and a higher likelihood of poor sleep quality (aOR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.29–2.55) compared to non-infected individuals; however, sleep onset problems were not associated with long COVID.

Discussion: Our findings from general population data suggest that adults with current long COVID have 1.7- to 1.8-fold higher odds of problems maintaining sleep and poor sleep quality than non-infected individuals. Given the potential impact on quality of life and physical and psychological functioning, sleep-related symptoms may represent an important target for clinical assessment and management in individuals with long COVID.

Related

  1. Indoor air pollutant concentrations in living rooms during non-cooking periods and associated self-reported health problems in Jimma Town, Ethiopia
    Temima Jemal, Mulunesh Deti, Tizita Teshome Eshetu +2
    BMC Public HealthPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Pharmacology & toxicologyCrossref
  2. Self-reported sleep quality, physical activity and anxiety associated with heart rate variability in youth tiers derived via unsupervised machine learning
    Fathima Hamna Nawas, Shagufta Yasir, Meha Fatima Aftab
    Scientific ReportsPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Full textCardiovascular medicineCrossref
  3. Consumer-Reported Adverse Health Events and Product Problems Associated with E-Cigarettes: Evidence from FDA Tobacco Product Problem Reports
    Atia Daqiq, Steven Barrientos, Do Hong Nguyen +4
    Tobacco Use InsightsPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textPhysiologyPMCEurope PMC
  4. Tobacco and alcohol use in Germany: a cross-sectional study about associations with the self-reported ability to find, understand and judge health information
    Alex Maximilian Keller, Stephanie Klosterhalfen, Daniel Kotz
    BMJ OpenPeer-reviewedLicence not statedGeneral medicineCrossref
  5. Erythrocyte-Associated Proteins Underlie the Reported Oxidative-Stress Enrichment in Plasma Proteomics of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: A Secondary Quality Marker Analysis of Public Datasets
    Seyma Yasar, Fatma Hilal Yagin, Busra Nur Findik +4
    Journal of Clinical MedicinePeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textPhysiologyCrossrefEurope PMC

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{beyer2026selfreported,
  title = {{Self-reported long COVID associated with sleep problems and poor sleep quality among adults in Germany: results of the German Health Update 2023 (GEDA 2023)}},
  author = {Ann-Kristin Beyer and Dinara Yessimova and Lisa Kümpel and Grit Eckert and Robert Schlack and Hannelore Neuhauser and Giselle Sarganas and Julia Nübel},
  journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1814427},
  url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1814427/full},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Self-reported long COVID associated with sleep problems and poor sleep quality among adults in Germany: results of the German Health Update 2023 (GEDA 2023)
AU  - Ann-Kristin Beyer
AU  - Dinara Yessimova
AU  - Lisa Kümpel
AU  - Grit Eckert
AU  - Robert Schlack
AU  - Hannelore Neuhauser
AU  - Giselle Sarganas
AU  - Julia Nübel
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/14
JO  - Frontiers in Public Health
DO  - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1814427
UR  - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1814427/full
AB  - Introduction: Long COVID refers to various long-term health impairments following a SARS-CoV-2 infection, including physical, cognitive, and psychological symptoms. Sleep problems are among the most prevalent neuropsychiatric symptoms of long COVID and can negatively affect daily functioning and quality of life. This study aims to investigate sleep onset problems, problems maintaining sleep and poor sleep quality in associations with long COVID among adults in Germany.  Methods: Analyses are based on data from the cross-sectional nationwide telephone interview survey “German Health Update” (GEDA 2023). Between March 2023 and February 2024, 9,310 adults (50.8% female, median age = 60.8 years) answered questions on any prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and long COVID status, as well as on sleep onset problems, problems maintaining sleep and poor sleep quality over the past 4 weeks. Weighted prevalence estimates for each sleep variable were calculated by self-reported SARS-CoV-2 infection and long COVID status. Multivariable logistic regressions were conducted, adjusted for age, sex, level of education, chronic conditions, depressive symptoms, COVID-19 vaccination status, and multiple SARS-CoV-2 infections.  Results: Participants with self-reported current long COVID reported higher proportions of sleep onset problems (32.6%), problems maintaining sleep (47.8%) and poor sleep quality (44.8%) compared to participants without a SARS-CoV-2 infection (20.0%, 30.8 and 24.1%, respectively) or prior infected participants without long COVID (13.8%, 23.8 and 20.0%, respectively). In multivariable logistic regression analyses, participants with self-reported current long COVID had an increased likelihood of experiencing problems maintaining sleep (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.73; 95% CI = 1.23–2.44) and a higher likelihood of poor sleep quality (aOR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.29–2.55) compared to non-infected individuals; however, sleep onset problems were not associated with long COVID.  Discussion: Our findings from general population data suggest that adults with current long COVID have 1.7- to 1.8-fold higher odds of problems maintaining sleep and poor sleep quality than non-infected individuals. Given the potential impact on quality of life and physical and psychological functioning, sleep-related symptoms may represent an important target for clinical assessment and management in individuals with long COVID.
SN  - 2296-2565
ER  -