A study led by ISGlobal in collaboration with the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute has found that night shift work and chronic insomnia may elevate the risk of developing long COVID. The research, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, underscores the significance of maintaining healthy sleep habits to prevent long COVID and other post-acute infectious syndromes.
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The study drew evidence from the population-based COVICAT cohort in Catalonia, which followed 2,941 adults from 2021 to 2023. Among the 1,899 participants infected with SARS-CoV-2, 284 developed long COVID, characterized by persistent symptoms lasting over three months post-infection. Night shift workers had an 88% increased risk of developing long COVID when compared to day workers, after considering other risk factors such as vaccination status and chronic health conditions. This risk was particularly pronounced among night workers with obesity, and was evident for both current and former night shift employees, indicating long-term effects of circadian disruption.
The study found no higher risk of infection associated with night shift work, suggesting that the relationship may pertain more to recovery from infection rather than susceptibility to it. ISGlobal researcher Manolis Kogevinas noted that their findings imply circadian disruption can play a role in the transition from acute illness to persistent symptoms.
Additionally, chronic insomnia was found to augment the risk of long COVID by 42%, independent of night shift status. Night shift workers suffering from insomnia had a 2.7-fold greater likelihood of developing long COVID compared to day workers without insomnia. The researchers indicate that the timing of pathogen exposure could affect immune responses, and that circadian disruption might hinder the immune system’s effectiveness in clearing infections.
Given the increasing incidence of insomnia, the authors stress the necessity of understanding its effects on health, particularly related to infection outcomes. They advocate for promoting healthy sleep habits and minimizing circadian disruption as potential preventative strategies against long COVID and similar post-infectious conditions. The study's strengths include using a well-defined cohort with detailed work and health information, although its findings may not be generalizable to younger or older populations, nor account for all occupational stressors.
The research is documented in the article “Night work, sleep disruption and long-COVID risk: a population-based cohort study” by Kyriaki Papantoniou et al.