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The COVID-19 pandemic is still disrupting one component of healthy living: a smart night’s sleep.
In a July 2000 survey of adults, published Sept. 13 through Harris Poll on behalf of Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, about 18 percent of respondents said they slept less now than before the pandemic, while 19 percent said they had trouble sleeping. because they are worried or under pressure (about COVID-19, politics, or other factors). In college, at least, this has led to piles of calls for help; In 2021, Ohio State Medical Center garnered about 29 percent more referrals for insomnia treatment than in 2018, says Dr. Lisa Schoen. Aneesa Das, sleep specialist and professor of internal medicine.
Stress can disrupt sleep, Das says, because it can increase heart rate and blood pressure, alter the abdomen and cause muscles to tighten. sometimes, and spending too much time in the bedroom. The challenge, Das says, is that those behaviors threaten the vital drivers of healthy sleep, adding exposure to light at the right time and maintaining a normal sleep schedule.
Read more: Why everyone wants 8 hours of sleep
Part of this, Das says, is due to the fact that many other people do the wrong things to relax and sleep. “These are two things that other people do to distract themselves,” Das says. “But bright light is really stimulating and reduces the layout of the room with sleep. “
Disrupting other people’s daily schedules due to the pandemic could also have had a ripple effect on sleep, Das says. get out of bed. But not sleeping at the same time every night can make it harder to fall asleep, Das says. During the pandemic, other people may also have started spending too much time indoors without being sufficiently exposed to the sun (although the survey didn’t measure this). This becomes especially problematic, Das says, if they spend more time in their room. insomnia. “
If you’re having trouble sleeping, Das suggests rethinking your sleep habits. Your room deserves to be cool (ideally with a temperature above 60 degrees), dark and quiet, and deserves to be used only for sleep and privacy. The schedule can also have a big impact on sleep: exercising, spending time in the sun during the day, avoiding caffeine consumption after 2 p. m. And maintaining normal sleep and wake up schedules can help, Das says. while sleeping, Das says he likes to create a to-do list to feel in one position for the next day, and takes a daily two-mile hike.
While it can be tricky to change your behavior (or give up your latte in the afternoon), your sleep can have primary benefits on your physical and intellectual health. Poor sleep has been linked to a variety of conditions, from a higher threat of stroke and focusing the disease on increased vulnerability to obesity and depression.
And while the pandemic has disrupted sleep schedules, smart sleep can help others become more resilient to its effects. After poor sleep, studies have shown that other people even have a weaker immune reaction to vaccines, Das says. It hasn’t been studied with Omicron’s booster, Das notes, “I can assure you that I tell my kids, ‘Before we get their vaccine booster, we need to make sure they get a good night’.