Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sleep in Children and Adolescents

The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated unprecedented disruptions to daily life for children and adolescents worldwide. School closures, shifts to remote learning and reduced opportunities for social interaction altered sleep schedules, increasing variability in bed and wake times. Many young people experienced extended sleep duration owing to later start times or flexible routines, yet a substantial proportion suffered irregular sleep patterns, increased sleep latency and heightened night-time awakenings. Elevated screen exposure, emotional distress and household stressors during periods of confinement further compounded sleep disturbances. Emerging evidence underscores the bidirectional links between sleep quality and mental health, with poor sleep exacerbating anxiety and depressive symptoms. These findings have practical implications for public health guidelines and educational policy, emphasising the value of stable daily rhythms and targeted mental health support to preserve sleep health in future emergencies.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent longitudinal analyses of Australian adolescents identified distinct trajectories of depressive and anxiety symptoms over the pandemic period, revealing that those with stable low-risk mental health maintained shorter sleep latency, longer sleep duration and earlier sleep timing. Conversely, adolescents experiencing worsening mental health reported parallel declines in sleep quality and consistency. These results highlight the protective role of healthy sleep patterns in emotional resilience during extended societal stress.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sleep in Children and Adolescents publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in impact of the covid-19 pandemic on sleep in children and adolescents across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Sleep latency: The interval between intended bedtime and onset of sleep.

Chronotype: An individual’s natural circadian preference for timing of sleep and wakefulness (for example, “morning” or “evening” types).

Actigraphy: A non-invasive method of monitoring rest–activity cycles by recording movement, often through a wrist-worn device.

Social jetlag: The misalignment between an individual’s biological sleep timing and social obligations, such as school or work schedules.

References

1. Adolescents’ trajectories of depression and anxiety symptoms prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic and their association with healthy sleep patterns. Scientific Reports (2024).
2. Associations between screen use, outdoor time/daylight exposure and sleep changes during the first COVID‐19 lockdown in French children from the ELFE and EPIPAGE2 birth cohorts. CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics (2023).
3. Sleep in the time of COVID-19: findings from 17000 school-aged children and adolescents in the UK during the first national lockdown. SLEEP Advances (2022).
4. Sufficient sleep and its contributing factors among high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic: results from adolescent behaviors and experiences survey. Frontiers in Public Health (2024).