The hidden epidemic: Insomnia in health care workers during and after COVID-19

While the world focused on COVID-19's immediate health impacts, a silent crisis was unfolding among those on the front lines. Research from one of the largest global studies ever conducted on health care worker mental health — drawing from data across 14 countries and nearly 33,000 health care professionals — found that insomnia is a major problem among health care workers.

The findings are sobering. Insomnia among health care workers has crossed clinical thresholds, meeting diagnostic criteria for disorders requiring immediate intervention. Frontline workers exposed to patients with COVID-19 have dramatically higher rates than their non-frontline colleagues, and the severity of exposure varies significantly by geographic region. More concerning, the proven link between chronic insomnia and long-term mental health disorders suggests we're only seeing the beginning of this crisis.

This isn't just about individual wellness; it's about patient safety and the sustainability of health care systems worldwide. Sleep-deprived clinicians make more errors, experience higher burnout rates, and leave the profession at alarming rates. Yet most health care institutions lack structured psychological support or evidence-based sleep interventions for their staff.