Adolescents’ sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: To assess the sleep quality of Brazilian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Observational, analytical, cross-sectional study with data from a questionnaire on individual characteristics and health, Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). 153 adolescents participated -61.4% females, 38.6% males, aged 13 to 18 years, enrolled at school. Results: 58.2% worsened their sleep quality during the pandemic. In the PSQI, 22 (14.4%) had a good, 104 (68%), a poor sleep quality, 27 (17.6%), suggestive of sleep disorders. Excessive daytime sleepiness occurred in 44.4% of the students. Significant associations appeared between sleep and decreased school motivation (p = 0.005), and between sleep and sex (p = 0.015). The pandemic affected more the females -25.5% reported worse sleep quality, 67% had PSQI scores suggestive of sleep disorders; 46 (30.1%) students reported stress, anxiety, sadness -76.1% were girls. Discussion: Adolescents had impaired sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic, reinforcing their sleep must be assessed in critical periods.

Effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic on sleep quality in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…This study found that younger children (0–3 years old) experienced longer sleep latency, delayed bedtime, and reduced sleep duration during confinement compared with older children (3–6 years old) during COVID‐19 isolation (Markovic et al, 2021 ). The second study showed that 58.6% of the children aged (0–3 years) experienced worse sleep quality, and 39.4% of the children experienced nocturnal awakenings in agreement with the first study (Silva et al, 2022 ).…”

“…The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale was used in five studies and was the most commonly used scale in adolescents. Three studies found that sleep quality worsened during the COVID‐19 pandemic (Silva et al, 2022 ; Windiani et al, 2021 ; Zhou et al, 2020 ). Two studies pointed to an increased prevalence of sleep disturbances (Windiani et al, 2021 ; Zhou et al, 2020 ), and four studies showed an increase in sleep duration during COVID‐19 in adolescents (Genta et al, 2021 ; Silva et al, 2022 ; Windiani et al, 2021 ; Zhou et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Other measurement scales were used to measure sleep quality such as Generac Health‐related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children (Kid‐KNIDL) (Adıbelli & Sümen., Adıbelli & Sümen, 2020 ), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) (Dutta et al, 2022 ; Genta et al, 2021 ; Silva et al, 2022 ), Horne‐Osteberg Morningness‐Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) (Genta et al, 2021 ), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐9) (Zhou et al, 2020 ), Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD‐7) (Lu et al, 2020 ; Zhou et al, 2020 ), Screening for Sleep Disorders in Childhood (Lavigne‐Cerván et al, 2021 ), Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES‐DC) (Liao et al, 2021 ), Youth Self‐Rating Insomnia Scales (YSIS) (Lu et al, 2020 ), and five studies used questionnaires developed by the authors (Dutta et al, 2022 ; Kaditis et al, 2021 ; Lim et al, 2021 ; Ranjbar et al, 2021 ; Uccella et al, 2021 ). In fact, adolescents benefited more from social isolation during the pandemic than children in relation to sleep because they had longer sleep duration, but this phenomenon did not predominate in sleep quality and the prevalence of sleep disorders versus prior periods (Bruni et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Three studies evaluated the sleep of parents during the COVID‐19 pandemic. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, parents with children who had sleep disorders had worse sleep quality (Silva et al, 2022 ). However, another study found that even parents with children without sleep disorders had more difficulty sleeping (Genta et al, 2021 ).…”

Impulsivity and Depressive Brooding in Internet Addiction: A Study With a Sample of Italian Adolescents During COVID-19 Lockdown

“…Several studies have shown that during the pandemic adolescents' sleep quality was severely affected by the mobile phone use pattern, stress level, and sleep pattern, and that this can also weaken immune responses to infection (122)(123)(124)(125). Teenagers with weak self-regulation and self-control would be unable to resist their inner need to use mobile phones (e.g., escape motive), which may lead to an uncontrolled rise in mobile phone usage time and, ultimately, to problematic mobile phone use (PMPU).…”