Environment/Climate Change
Associations between neighborhood green space, quality of life, and perceived sleep satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from a nationwide survey Jong Cheol Shin* Jong Cheol Shin Fathima Wakeel
Background: Sleep satisfaction, a critical contributor to overall well-being, is influenced by myriad factors including health conditions and environmental factors. The COVID-19 pandemic, with its heightened stressors and lifestyle disruptions, may have exacerbated poor sleep satisfaction. The potential benefits of neighborhood green spaces, a facet of environmental health, have not been extensively studied in this context.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between neighborhood green space, quality of life, and sleep satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: The analysis is based on data from 872 U.S. individuals who completed an online survey in August 2021. The modified 23-item WHOQOL-BREF instrument was used to assess perceived physical, psychological, social, and environmental health during the pandemic. Neighborhood Green space was measured using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) images captured from eMODIS imaging spectrometers at 250m resolution, mapped to participants’ zip codes. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression was utilized for analysis, controlling for confounders such as race, education, income, sex, and occupation.
Results: There was a significant positive association between the presence of neighborhood green spaces and sleep satisfaction. Furthermore, higher self-reported quality of life, including better physical health, psychological health, and neighborhood environment, corresponded with improved sleep satisfaction.
Conclusions: This study provides compelling evidence of the positive associations of both higher quality of life and more green space on sleep satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings emphasize the necessity for maintaining and enhancing urban green spaces as a public health strategy for improving sleep satisfaction, particularly during crisis situations.