Nearly one in three Belgians sleeps badly because of the coronavirus pandemic: “These are serious complaints”

At the start of last year, 7 to 8% of Belgians complained of inability to get to sleep. This number climbed to 19% during the first lockdown. At the second confinement, the proportion even rose to 29% of insomniacs. That is four times more than 12 months previously.

“These are serious complaints, for which people must ultimately be dealt with,” says behavioral neuroscience professor Olivier Mairesse, who led the research, in Het Laatste Nieuws.

It is not just the fear of the virus itself that has influenced the quality of sleep. But measures related to the coronavirus and the associated stress played an even bigger role, the researchers said. The need for physical contact is also an important factor.