A recent analysis led by Josefa A. Antón Ruiz from the Department of Health Psychology at the University of Alicante has found that 43.5% of healthcare professionals experienced clinically significant symptoms of insomnia during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings, published in Current Psychology by Springer Nature, are based on a review of 34 studies across 14 countries, covering a total sample of 32,930 healthcare workers.
The research provides comprehensive data on how widespread and severe insomnia was among healthcare professionals throughout the pandemic and into the period when health systems began returning to normal operations. "The results show that insomnia severity levels exceeded clinical cut-off points across the various assessment instruments used," said Antón-Ruiz, who worked with researchers from the Catholic University of Murcia.
Frontline workers who were in direct contact with COVID-19 patients showed higher rates of insomnia at 54.9%, compared to 33.5% for those not engaged in direct care roles. According to Antón-Ruiz, these figures support the idea that constant exposure to high-pressure environments, infection risks, heavy workloads, and critical decision-making had a significant impact on sleep quality.
The study also found regional differences: Europe reported higher rates of insomnia (58.2%) than Asia (38.3%).
Insomnia was both frequent and clinically relevant during and after the pandemic period. "The proven link between insomnia and other long-term mental disorders suggests these findings have significant implications for the sustainability and resilience of healthcare systems," said Dr Antón-Ruiz.
The authors recommend implementing structured psychological support programs for healthcare staff as well as interventions focused on sleep regulation and stress management. Dr Antón-Ruiz emphasized that addressing sleep health is crucial not only for individual well-being but also for patient safety and care quality: "Sleep health should be systematically integrated into institutional policies and preparedness plans for future health crises."
Dr Antón-Ruiz concluded that strong scientific evidence is essential for making occupational health decisions, guiding public policy based on data, and ensuring mental health—especially sleep—is recognized as central to maintaining safe, sustainable, high-quality healthcare systems.
