This study explored the Associations among insomnia, psychological capital and anxiety, and examined the Psychological capital of the Mediating Role of PsyCap between insomnia and anxiety. Education and chronic disease were risk factors for anxiety; a significant association between insomnia, social support and anxiety. Structural equation models showed that insomnia has a positive effect on anxiety and a negative effect on psychological capital, and that psychological capital has a negative effect on anxiety. We found and validated a hypothetical model that insomnia negatively affects anxiety in COVID-19 patients through psychological capital. The higher the insomnia level of COVID-19 patients, the lower the psychological capital level, and the lower the psychological capital level, which further leads to the increased anxiety level of the patients.
Analysis of demographic data found education and chronic illness as risk factors for anxiety(F = 7.588 P < 0.001), which is consistent with previous studies [26, 27]. Patients with lower education are more likely to have anxiety. Patients with low education are less able to receive, process, integrate, and understand information, which can easily cause panic and anxiety; patients with combined chronic diseases are more prone to anxiety than those without chronic diseases. In China, Qi Houxing et al. showed that the level of anxiety in coronary heart disease was related to serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein ox-LDL, and the serum ox-LDL concentration was significantly higher in patients with severe anxiety disorders [28].
Chronic hyperglycemia in diabetic patients can lead to adverse emotions and affect the neuroendocrine system, which can increase the chances of anxiety and depression [29]. During the intensive isolation of COVID-19 patients with comorbid chronic diseases, chronic disease-related treatments, follow-ups, medical appointments and lifestyle interventions cannot be carried out normally, further aggravating patient anxiety [30]. We as healthcare professionals are reminded that we should pay more attention to patients with low education and chronic diseases, and effectively guide patients in the treatment of chronic diseases to relieve their anxiety.
Research has shown that higher psychological capital can perceive greater social support and positive coping styles as protective factors for anxiety symptoms. In the correction of anxiety caused by insomnia, positive guidance and other psychological interventions could relieve patients’ negative emotions, and improve patients’psychological capital such as self-efficacy and hope in the face of the disease, to avoid the generation of irritability, dissatisfaction, anxiety and other emotions caused by negative suggestions and poor self-evaluation [31]. Studies have shown that psychological capital could regulate the influence of insomnia on anxiety, and this suggests that during the treatment of anxiety caused by insomnia, the level of psychological capital can be improved in order to regulate the bad mood and thus improve the patient's anxiety [32] .
Direct effect of insomnia on anxiety
This study found that insomnia positively predicted anxiety ( β = 0.369, P < 0.001), which verified the direct path of insomnia to anxiety, indicating that the higher the degree of insomnia, the higher the level of anxiety, similar to the results of a meta-analysis of six observational studies by Elisabeth, which showed that insomnia was a major predictor of anxiety attacks (odds ratio 3.2) [20]. For COVID-19 patients, centralized isolation faces a variety of problems such as restricted food, clothing, housing and transportation, disrupted life patterns, crowded and unfamiliar environments, inadequate temporary facilities of all kinds, and uncertainty about the prognosis and treatment of the disease, leading to insomnia. Insomnia and its accompanying symptoms are associated with certain neurotransmitters, such as the neurotransmitter 5-HT, which is involved in the function of the sleep-wake system. 5-HT is secreted by the hypothalamus, which regulates the body’s emotional physiological responses and the functioning of the sleep and wake systems. Serum 5-HT level can reflect the central activity state, and reduced 5-HT secretion will cause insomnia, anxiety and depression [33]. Patients with insomnia and then irritability, multiple cycles cause patient anxiety [34].
Mediating mechanism of psychological capital
This study showed that insomnia negatively predicted psychological capital (β=-0.182, P<0.001) and psychological capital negatively predicted anxiety (β=-0.313, P<0.001). Psychological capital has a mediating effect between insomnia and anxiety (13.4%). In this study, in the relationship between insomnia and anxiety, the influence of insomnia on anxiety becomes smaller after the addition of psychological capital; The hypothesis that psychological capital can be used as a mediating variable is verified. The higher the level of psychological capital, the lower the level of anxiety, which also verifies that psychological capital can be used as a protective factor for anxiety [33]. Studies have shown that psychological capital could regulate the influence of insomnia on anxiety, which indicates that in the treatment process of anxiety caused by insomnia, psychological capital such as psychological resilience can be improved to regulate bad emotions and thus improve the anxiety of patients [32]. Individuals are advised to consciously develop psychological capital to face work and life more positively, optimistically and resolutely, and to cope effectively with various pressures to improve mental health.