Sleep, Mental Health, and the Need for Physical and Real-Life Social Contact with (Non-)Family Members during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Bayesian Network Analysis

: The forced social isolation implemented to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus was accompanied by a worsening of mental health, an increase in insomnia symptoms, and the emergence of 'skin hunger'-an increased longing for personal touch. This study aimed to enhance our understanding...

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Published inJournal of clinical medicine Vol. 13; no. 13; p. 3954
Main Authors Roland, Aurore, Staring, Louise, Van Puyvelde, Martine, McGlone, Francis, Mairesse, Olivier
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland MDPI AG 05.07.2024
Subjects
Cohabitation
COVID-19
Insomnia
Lifestyles
lockdown
long COVID
Mental health
pandemic
Pandemics
Questionnaires
Shelter in place
Sleep
Social networks
touch
Variables
Belgium
sleep
social isolation
mental health
lockdown
touch
long COVID
pandemic
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Summary:: The forced social isolation implemented to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus was accompanied by a worsening of mental health, an increase in insomnia symptoms, and the emergence of 'skin hunger'-an increased longing for personal touch. This study aimed to enhance our understanding of the interconnection between sleep, mental health, and the need for physical (NPC) and real-life social contact (NRL-SC). : A total of 2827 adults participated in an online survey during the second COVID-19 lockdown. A Bayesian Gaussian copula graphical model (BGCGM) and a Bayesian-directed acyclic graph (DAG) were estimated, and mixed ANOVAs were carried out. : NPC with non-family members ( (2091) = 12.55, < 0.001, = 0.27) and relational lifestyle satisfaction ( (2089) = 13.62, < 0.001, = 0.30) were lower during the second lockdown than before the pandemic. In our BGCGM, there were weak positive edges between the need for PC and RL-SC on one hand and sleep and mental health on the other. : During the second lockdown, people craved less physical contact with non-family members and were less satisfied with their relational lifestyle than before the pandemic. Individuals with a greater need for PC and RL-SC reported poorer mental health (i.e., worry, depression, and mental fatigue).
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ISSN:2077-0383
2077-0383
DOI:10.3390/jcm13133954