Exploring the evolving frontiers of sleep deprivation research in the post-COVID-19 era

Sleep deprivation research (SDR) has undergone substantial transformations in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. This comprehensive study explores the SDR's evolving trends, hotspots, and conceptual structure in the post-COVID-19 era. Using bibliometric analysis with VOSviewer and Bibliometrix software, we examined the SDR publications from January 2020 to December 2023. Core sources were identified using Bradford law, and a dataset of 4578 English-based data-driven studies was retrieved from the Scopus database. Our analysis revealed a remarkable annual growth rate of 37.92% in SDR from 2020 to 2023, indicating a heightened research focus in this domain. Among prolific authors, Shao emerged as a key contributor, while Sleep ranked prominently as a leading publication venue. The United States and China have emerged as the most impactful countries for advancing SDR research. Uncovering the most cited documents sheds light on various focal points within SDR, including sleep duration, mental health implications, cardiovascular events, the impact of COVID-19 on sleep patterns, dementia, resilience in children, and sleep patterns among preschoolers. Noteworthy keywords that emerged from the analysis encompassed "sleep deprivation," "depression," "insomnia," "COVID-19," "anxiety," "fatigue," and "obesity." Using a thematic mapping approach, we delineated distinct themes characterized by niche, basic, emerging, and declining patterns. Clusters of SDR research were observed in areas such as "Fatigue," "Sleep apnea," "Sleep," "Sleep deprivation," "Migraine," "Caffeine," and "Recovery." Furthermore, trending themes in SDR encompassed "Sleep disturbance," "excessive daytime sleepiness," and "Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid." These comprehensive findings provide valuable insights into the current landscape of SDR, illuminating emerging trends, identifying hotspots, and offering directions for future research in this critical field.