The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Your Nightly Rest
Surviving a Sound Slumber in a Stressful Pandemic: All about Coronasomnia!
Let's Talk About Coronasomnia: If getting a decent night's rest during the pandemic seems impossible, you're not alone, mate! You're dealing with a common affliction: coronasomnia—or covidsomnia! And guess what, sweetheart? Disease expert, Michelle Drerup, PsyD, is here to help us fight it!
So, What Exactly is Coronasomnia?
Coronasomnia is slang for sleep difficulties arising from stress brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Michelle reckons that any type of stress is usually the main reason for those sleepless nights. From not being able to fall asleep, repeatedly waking up, or simply staying asleep, stress messes with your Zzz's big time!
Increased stress is just one part of the equation. The pandemic has really taken a toll on our mental health, folks, ain't it? With loneliness, financial troubles, home schooling, handling work, and parenting challenges fueling the fire, it's only natural that we struggle to hit the hay!
Why Coronasomnia Happens
No surprise here: sleep problems are skyrocketing during the pandemic. In the UK, researchers discovered that the number of people experiencing insomnia jumped from 1 in 6 to 1 in 4 [1]. And in China? Insomnia rates soared from 14.6% to 20% during the peak lockdown period! In the USA, Google searches for "insomnia" jumped to a whopping 2.77 million during the first five months of 2020, a 58% jump over the previous three years [2].
But the pandemic is so much more than a virus, my dear friends. It wreaks havoc on our daily lives, disrupting our routines, and making it difficult to stick to healthy sleep habits. And guess what? That's a serious blow to the quality of our sleep!
Coronasomnia Effects on Your Health
The psychological and physical consequences of prolonged stress and losing sleep are pretty grim. Our wee immune systems get compromised, which means we're less protected against all kinds of nasties. And, don't forget, we feel more frazzled than usual. Lack of sleep can cause emotional rollercoasters and make us grouchy as an old bear!
When people are sleep deprived, Michelle warns that they might develop worsening cardiovascular and metabolic issues such as weight gain, diabetes, and high blood pressure. And if that's not enough to scare us, pandemic-related stress can send us into a spiral of anxiety, depression, and increased alcohol consumption, all exacerbating sleep issues [3].
Coronasomnia in COVID Survivors
Sleep disturbances can also be a symptom of chronic symptoms experienced by some COVID survivors. However, insomnia is not considered a common symptom by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Instead, it's most likely that ongoing stress brought on by the pandemic is the culprit [2]. In other words, it's not the virus itself but the cruddy circumstances surrounding it that's affecting our sleep!
Coping with Coronasomnia
Take heart, my friends! There are strategies to get through these hard times. Here are some helpful tips to combat coronasomnia and get the well-deserved shut-eye we all need:
- Cut back on screen time
- Regular exercise
- A better diet
- Shift your sleep schedule to fit your work-from-home lifestyle
- If possible, soak up some sunlight in the morning
- Avoid taking naps in the late afternoon
- If tossing and turning, leave the bedroom and engage in a calm activity for a while
- Resist the temptation to rely on sleep aids too frequently
- Consider trying melatonin as a natural sleep aid, but use smaller doses (between 1 to 3 milligrams)
- Look into cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)
Remember: take care of yourself, and prioritize sleep as much as possible during these uncertain times. We'll get through it together, my friends!
References[1] Sleep Foundation. (n.d.). Coronavirus insomnia: Strategies for better sleep in stressful times. Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/coronavirus-insomnia-strategies-better-sleep-stressful-times
[2] Drerup, M. (2020, May 20). Sleep disruptions during COVID-19. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17787-sleep-disruptions-during-covid19
[3] American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (n.d.). New study shows increase in insomnia among U.S. adults during COVID-19 pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.aasmnet.org/resource/new-study-shows-increase-in-insomnia-among-us-adults-during-covid-19-pandemic/
- Michelle Drerup, a disease expert, points out that sleep difficulties caused by stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, often referred to as coronasomnia or covidsomnia, are a common occurrence.
- In addition to stress, the pandemic has negatively impacted mental health, leading to increased levels of loneliness, financial troubles, home schooling, work and parenting challenges, all of which can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
- According to research, sleep problems have soared during the pandemic, with insomnia rates increasing in several countries, including the UK, China, and the USA.
- The physical and psychological effects of prolonged stress and poor sleep can be severe, compromising the immune system, causing emotional instability, and potentially leading to worsening cardiovascular and metabolic issues, increased alcohol consumption, anxiety, and depression.
