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Updated: Jun 25, 2025

Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
Changes in Sleep Duration and Sleep Timing in the General Population from before to during the First COVID-19
Chiara Ceolin1,2, Federica Limongi3, Paola Siviero3
1Geriatric Unit, Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy.
Background:
The COVID-19 lockdown had a profound effect on everyday life, including sleep health. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated changes in quantitative sleep parameters during the first lockdown compared with pre-lockdown in the general population.
Methods:
A search in scientific databases was performed to identify eligible observational studies from inception to 8 February 2023. We performed a random effects meta-analysis of those studies reporting (a) means of sleep duration, time in bed (TIB), and sleep timing (bedtime and wake-up time); (b) the percentages of atypical sleep duration before and during the lockdown; (c) the percentages of change in sleep duration and sleep timing.
Results:
A total of 154 studies were included. A small increase in sleep duration (0.25 standardized mean difference, 95% CI 0.180-0.315) was found, with 55.0% of the individuals reporting changes, predominantly an increase (35.2%). The pooled relative risk for sleeping more than 8/9 h per night was 3.31 (95% IC 2.60-4.21). There was a moderately significant delay in sleep timing and a surge in napping.
Conclusion:
An increase in sleep duration and napping, and delayed sleep timing were observed. High-quality studies should evaluate whether these parameters have now become chronic or have returned to pre-lockdown values.
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