Introduction Stress in relation to the Coronavirus disease 19 pandemic (i.e., COVID-19, COVID stress) may be linked with poor sleep quality. The association between stress that is specific to the COVID-19 pandemic and sleep quality has been understudied, particularly in racially diverse people across the adult lifespan. Here, we investigated self-reported sleep quality in relation to COVID stress and factors that may protect against experiencing poor sleep quality from high COVID stress, including social support and religiosity. Method We recruited non-Hispanic Black ( n = 73) and non-Hispanic White ( n = 178) participants across the adult lifespan (18–76 years) using an online, cross-sectional design during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2021–June 2021). We asked participants to report information regarding demographics (age, race/ethnicity, years of education), sleep (sleep quality, sleep habits), and positive (social support, religious activities) and negative (events of discrimination, depression, general stress, COVID stress) psychosocial factors. Results Across age and racial groups, better sleep habits were associated with better sleep quality, and higher COVID stress was linked to poorer sleep quality. Black participants reported higher quality sleep than White participants ( p = 0.006). They also endorsed greater private and internal religiosity ( p’s < 0.001). Across racial groups, moderation analyses revealed a protective effect of religiosity against poor sleep ( p’s < 0.006). Specifically, individuals with high religious activity and high COVID stress did not experience poor sleep quality, but individuals with low religious activity and high COVID stress demonstrated poor sleep quality. These results remained significant when controlling for general stress. Discussion Protective factors, such as religiosity, may mitigate the negative associations between high COVID stress and poor sleep quality.
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Covid-19-Stress Associated With Worse Sleep Quality, Particularly With Increasing Age
Based on socioemotional selectivity theory, one might predict that older adults’ well-being would be less negatively affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19)-stress, as with other stressors, than younger people. However, whether sleep quality, which is negatively affected by aging, is similarly protected from the negative consequences of Covid-19-stress with age is unknown. Here, we examined the association between Covid-19-stress, above and beyond general-stress, and sleep quality and how it varies by age.
From December 2020 to April 2021, 386 adults reported their Covid-19-stress, sleep quality, and resilience in an online study.
While older age was related to lower Covid-19-stress, Covid-19-stress was associated with worse sleep quality with greater age.
These results suggest that at least some aspects of one’s well-being may be more susceptible to the negative consequences of stress with increasing age. Our results might be better understood via the strength and vulnerability integration model, which posits that older adults have increased susceptibility to prolonged and unavoidable stress.
- Award ID(s):
- 2152492
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10391303
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Journals of Gerontology: Series B
- ISSN:
- 1079-5014
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Results Linear regressions showed that higher routineness of social interaction in general, of social interaction through the same modality, and of social interaction with the same partner type were associated with higher positive affect. Higher routineness of social interaction in general was associated with lower negative affect. Routineness of social interactions was not associated with life satisfaction or cognitive abilities.
Discussion A routine social life may increase older adults’ affective well-being. Results are discussed in the context of activity engagement and time use in older age.
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Methods We collected primary data from randomly selected residents in eight Texas metropolitan areas through a bilingual telephone survey in July 2021. Statistical analysis comprised multivariable generalized estimating equations that control for relevant sociodemographic and COVID-related risk factors, and spatial clustering.
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