The prevalence of sleep problems during the COVID-19 pandemic is high and affects approximately 40% of people from the general and health care populations. More than half of Americans reported an increase in problems sleeping since the start of the pandemic and all around the world we have seen a signify higher percentage of people who have trouble sleeping. "Unfortunately, sometimes the harder we try to sleep, the more difficult it is to achieve sufficient, healthy sleep." Is it the mental health state that the pandemic has caused? 51% reported using medication, over-the-counter supplements, or other substances to help them fall asleep, while 68% of those using sleep aids acknowledged that they've been using them more frequently during the pandemic.
The pandemic has created a nation of insomniacs and unfortunately it is still alive. “It’s a problem everywhere, across all age groups,” said Angela Drake, a UC Davis Health clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She has treated sleep disorders and is trained in managing insomnia without medications. “Insomnia was a problem before COVID-19,” she said. “Now, from what we know anecdotally, the increase is enormous.” As the pandemic continues and the feeling of anxiety and uncertainty still follows us, this topic will stay relevant for years to come.
A few expert sources I want to reach out to:
Angela I. Drake, UC Davis Health - Neuropsychology Clinical Psychology
Michael V. Vitiello, UW Medicine
Dr. Giora Pillar, Sleeping Lab at Haifa Hospital
Visual materials and data gathering is important to understand exactly the difficulties:
National Library Of Medicine
Articles in SleepFoundation
I would like to see the struggles people are suffering from become more visual and animated. Maybe even create a daily report of some people that will be willing to document their weekly sleeping report.
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