Sleep researchers reported on Monday that night shift workers and people with chronic insomnia face nearly three times the risk of developing Long COVID. The findings have drawn renewed attention across occupational health circles, prompting calls for workplace and clinical interventions to protect vulnerable employees.

The research examined the interplay between disrupted circadian rhythms, poor sleep quality and prolonged symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Investigators found that both night shift schedules and persistent insomnia independently elevated the likelihood of lingering fatigue, cognitive difficulties and breathlessness weeks after acute illness.

The authors argued that chronic sleep disruption may impair immune regulation and slow viral clearance, leaving affected workers more prone to protracted recovery. Healthcare staff, transport workers and manufacturing employees on rotating shifts represent particularly exposed groups.

Occupational health specialists said the results strengthen the case for routine sleep screening and adjusted schedules for at-risk staff. They urged employers to treat sleep health as a workplace safety issue rather than a personal matter, particularly as COVID-19 cases climb during the current summer wave.

The study comes as public health agencies continue to track rising infections across the United States and Europe, renewing focus on which populations remain most susceptible to lasting complications from the virus.