It’s no secret that 2020 has been a stressful year and new studies show sleeping during this pandemic, or trying to sleep, has become a nightmare for some.
Between cooling off from the stress of the workday and managing anxiety from reading about the pandemic and politics, people around the world are struggling to find that night time relaxation, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise with all of the disruptions we have seen this year.
People who have experienced some sort of disruption to their usual sleeping routines since the pandemic began this March are experiencing more restlessness or a poorer quality of sleep.
For others, the new reality is more obvious, either a chronic lack of sufficient sleep or full-on insomnia.
Some experts have gone so far as to nickname the current trend “Coronasomnia,” since the number of those who are struggling with sleep has worsened since the pandemic started.
About 36% of Americans reported difficulty sleeping this summer due to stress about the pandemic, according to a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
There are many reasons to be concerned.
Poor or insufficient sleep can increase the risk for chronic health problems such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, kidney disease, heart disease and depression.
Sleep is considered a critical part of the proper function of our immune systems, which is important during a pandemic.
Poor sleeping habits can also lead to weight gain, according to the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine.
That’s because lack of sleep is associated with dysregulation of the hormones that make us hungry and tell us we’re full.
Studies also show fatigue hijacks our motivation to exercise, and when we’re tired, we generally make more impulsive choices about everything, especially what we eat.
For those formally diagnosed with insomnia, there are medical aids you can consult a doctor about, or you can try cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia.
Medical professionals say it helps people identify the underlying causes of their insomnia and adopt behaviors to change it.
The treatment is about breaking bad habits and re-training yourself to sleep a healthy way. Tactical changes to your everyday lifestyle can improve sleep habits, as well.
Try exercising every day to tire yourself out and burn off that stress.