Darnitsa: How the Pandemic Can Affect Your Sleep
08 November 2021Global studies show an increase in the problem of sleep disorders. This is due to the increasing stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic. Insomnia can lead to a decrease in immunity, worsening of cardiovascular and metabolic problems, including an increased risk of weight gain, diabetes and high blood pressure. Darnitsa Pharmaceutical Company is expanding its portfolio of drugs for insomnia
What is coronasomnia?
The negative impact of the pandemic on sleep led to the emergence of new terms to describe sleep problems resulting from stress caused by the pandemic: coronasomnia or covidsomnia.
Global trend
The rise of sleep problems, in particular insomnia, is a worldwide concern. In the UK, a study published last year showed that the number of people suffering from insomnia increased from 1 in 6 to 1 in 41, while the rate of insomnia in China increased from 14.6% to 20% during the peak quarantine period2. According to another study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, in the first five months of 2020, there were 2.77 million Google searches for “insomnia” in the United States – which is 58% more than for the same period in the previous three years3.
Why does coronasomnia occur?
The exacerbation of sleep disorders is linked to the increasing levels of stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic, including the effects of uncertainty and a constant welter of information. The normal daily routine and level of daily activity were disturbed, and this negatively affected the sleep of many people.
How coronasomnia affects health
Chronic sleep deficiency usually lowers immunity, and this increases susceptibility to viruses. Lack of sleep negatively affects the emotional component and mood. It also results in worsening of cardiovascular and metabolic problems, including an increased risk of weight gain, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Some tips
- Take a break from the news
Even though it's useful to keep an eye on the news during the day, try to avoid endless “scrolling” of news sites and Facebook / Instagram feeds before bedtime.
- Follow a regimen
Try to maintain a regular sleep regimen regardless of the day of the week.
- Light is important
Make sure that you get enough light in the morning, especially if you work from home and do not go outside to get to the office.
- Do not sleep in the daytime
For some people a nap in the afternoon may be useful, but this can disrupt the night sleep.
- Change the focus of attention
Stress can trigger a situation where you wake up in the middle of the night and are unable to fall asleep again. If you do not fall asleep after about 20 minutes, you need to get up and go to another room. You need to change the focus of attention, and reading, calming yoga or a quiet hobby (knitting, for example) can help with that. But avoid gadgets.
- Avoid clock anxiety
You know this feeling: you wake up in the middle of the night, check the clock, and then start worrying about the need to fall asleep again, but instead this stress keeps you awake.
There are relaxation techniques such as meditation, guided imagery, and progressive muscle relaxation that can relieve the tension and help you fall asleep.4
To solve the problem of periodic and transient insomnia, Darnitsa Pharmaceutical Company produces Hypnos®5 in the form of tablets. Hypnos® reduces the time necessary to fall asleep and improves sleep quality. Do not forget that insomnia can have various causes that do not necessarily require medication, so before using Hypnos® be sure to consult a doctor and, if necessary, get the appropriate prescription.
Background information
Darnitsa Pharmaceutical Company PrJSC was established in 1930. Since 1998, Darnitsa has been the leader in Ukraine in terms of production of drugs by volume. Strategic areas of portfolio development include cardiology, neurology and pain management. During 2015-2020, Darnitsa launched 50 pharmaceutical brands.
* The above information is intended solely for distribution in specialized publications intended for healthcare institutions and physicians, as well as at medical conferences and seminars.
* Women with young children, key workers and BAME groups losing sleep during coronavirus pandemic
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2020/08/sleeploss-lockdown.page
** Morin CM, Carrier J. The acute effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on insomnia and psychological symptoms. Sleep Med. 2021;77:346-347. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2020.06.005
*** Zitting K-M, Lammers-van der Holst HM, Yuan RK, Wang W, Quan SF, Duffy JF. Google Trends reveals increases in internet searches for insomnia during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(2):177 –18
**** https://health.clevelandclinic.org/covid-19-insomnia-tips/
***** Instruction for medical use of medicinal product No. UA/17957/01/01.