The COVID-19 pandemic is still disrupting an essential component of a healthy life: a good night’s sleep.
In a survey conducted in July of 2,000 adults, released Sept. 13 by the Harris Poll on behalf of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, about 18 percent of respondents said they get less sleep now than they did before the pandemic, while 19 percent said they struggle to sleep because they’re worried or stressed (about COVID-19, politics, or other factors). At the university, at least, this has led to a surge in demand for help; in 2021, Ohio State’s medical center received about 29 percent more referrals for insomnia treatment compared to 2018, said Dr. Aneesa Das, a sleep specialist and professor of internal medicine there.
Stress can disrupt sleep, said Das, since it can boost heart rate and blood pressure, upset stomachs and make muscles tense. However, the survey also points to another problem: bad sleep habits, including using phones before bed, sleeping at irregular hours and spending too much time in the bedroom.
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