Sleep duration and pain during the COVID-19 pandemic with depression and chronic diseases as mediators

Abstract The bidirectional relationship between sleep duration and pain during the COVID-19 pandemic remains poorly understood. This study explores these interactions and the mediating roles of depression and chronic diseases using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) cohort. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 15,979 participants aged 45 and older. Sleep duration was self-reported, and pain was assessed using validated anatomical charts. Depression symptoms were measured using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10), and chronic diseases were self-reported. Personal activity during the pandemic was measured using the Personal Activity Score during COVID-19 (PAS-COVID-19). The results showed a significant association between deviations from optimal sleep duration and increased pain frequency. Participants with both shorter and longer sleep durations reported higher pain levels, with depression and chronic diseases acting as significant mediators. However, personal activity did not significantly mediate the association between sleep duration and pain. These findings underscore the complex interplay among sleep duration, pain, depression, and chronic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the importance of integrated interventions to manage these interconnected health issues.