Study Objectives
To investigate the effects of COVID-19 on sleep architecture by analyzing EEG spectral density and REM characteristics in COVID-19 survivors compared to healthy controls.
Methodology
This prospective observational study included Level I Polysomnography data of 49 COVID-19 survivors (4 weeks post-hospital discharge) and 54 pre-pandemic healthy volunteers. EEG spectral density analysis was performed for both REM and NREM sleep stages. REM density was calculated using an automated detection algorithm.
Results
COVID-19 survivors showed significant differences in EEG spectral density compared to controls. On univariate analysis, during REM sleep, COVID-19 patients exhibited higher alpha (p < 0.001), beta (p < 0.001), theta (p < 0.01) and delta (p < 0.01) activity. In NREM sleep, COVID-19 patients showed higher alpha (p < 0.001), beta (p < 0.001), delta (p < 0.01), and sigma (p < 0.001) activity in most of the electrodes. REM density was significantly higher in COVID-19 survivors (3.21 vs 1.99 per epoch, p < 0.001).
Conclusion
COVID-19 survivors demonstrate significant alterations in sleep EEG spectral density and increased REM density compared to healthy controls. These findings suggest COVID-19 may have lasting effects on sleep architecture, potentially contributing to the neuropsychiatric symptoms observed in long COVID.
