Sleep and long COVID: preexisting sleep issues and the risk of PASC in a large general population using 3 different model definitions.

Study objectives: Insomnia, poor sleep quality and extremes of sleep duration are associated with COVID-19 infection. This study assessed whether these factors are related to Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC).

Methods: Cross-sectional survey of a general population of 24,803 U.S. adults to determine the association of insomnia, poor sleep quality and sleep duration with PASC. Three definitions of PASC were used based on post COVID-19 clinical features: COPE (≥3), NICE (≥1), and RECOVER (scoring algorithm).

Results: Prevalence rates of PASC were 21.9%, 38.9%, 15.5% for COPE, NICE and RECOVER PASC definitions, respectively. PASC was associated with insomnia in all 3 models after full adjustment with odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) ranging from 1.30 (95% CI: 1.11-1.52, p≤0.05, PASC Score) to 1.52 (95% CI: 1.34-1.71, p≤0.001, (NICE). Poor sleep quality was related to PASC in all models with aORs ranging from 1.77 (95% CI: 1.60-1.97, p≤0.001, NICE) to 2.00 (95% CI: 1.77-2.26, p≤0.001, COPE). Sleep <6 hours was associated with PASC with aORs between 1.59 (95% CI: 1.40-1.80, p≤0.001, PASC Score) to 1.70 (95% CI: 1.53-1.89, p≤0.001, COPE). Sleep ≥ 9 hours was not associated with PASC in any model. Although vaccination with COVID-19 booster decreased the likelihood of developing PASC, it did not attenuate associations between insomnia, poor sleep quality and short sleep duration with PASC in any of the models.

Conclusions: Insomnia, poor sleep quality and short sleep duration are cross-sectionally associated with PASC and may be potential risk factors. Further longitudinal studies should be conducted.