0692 Physical activity and sleep patterns before and during the COVID-19-pandemic – results from a cross-sectional and retrospective study

Abstract

Abstract Introduction In general, higher physical activity is related to lower symptoms of insomnia, depression, and anxiety. The COVID-19-pandemic and its related restrictions unfavorably impacted both physical activity and sleep patterns. However, it remains unknown how better sleep and physical activity prior to the pandemic confer resilience to psychological and health-related disturbances during the pandemic. We investigated whether people with higher physical activity and lower insomnia scores before the COVID-19-pandemic also reported higher physical activity, lower insomnia scores, and lower symptoms of depression and anxiety during COVID-19-pandemic-related restrictions. Methods A total of 826 adults (mean age: 34.58±12.37 years) completed self-rating questionnaires covering physical activity, and symptoms of insomnia, depression, and anxiety during the COVID-19-pandemic. Further, participants retrospectively rated their physical activity and insomnia before the COVID-19-pandemic. Hypotheses were tested using Pearson’s correlations and paired t-tests with significance at p < 0.05. Results Retrospectively assessed higher physical activity levels before the COVID-19-pandemic were associated with lower symptoms of depression (r = 0.84, p = 0.041), but neither insomnia (r = 0.02, p = 0.67) nor anxiety scores during the COVID-19-pandemic (r = 0.05, p = 0.20). Retrospectively assessed lower insomnia scores before the COVID-19-pandemic were associated with lower symptoms of insomnia (r = 0.57, p < 0.001), depression (r = 0.30, p < 0.001) and anxiety (r = 0.31, p < 0.001) during the COVID-19-pandemic. Consistent with other studies both insomnia and physical activity worsened; insomnia scores increased (p < 0.001, d = 0.66) and physical activity decreased (p < 0.001, d = 0.19) from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion These results suggest that those with lower levels of insomnia prior to the pandemic may be resilient to the psychological and health-related consequences of the COVID-19-pandemic and its related restrictions in everyday life, while those with higher physical activity prior to the pandemic were more resilient specifically to depression during the pandemic). Support (If Any)