Lifestyle

10 Facts About Coronasomnia, The Sleepless Condition Caused By COVID-19

2021-03-22 , 2:11 pm

If you’ve been losing sleep for seemingly no reason at all or finding yourself abruptly waking up at 2.30am, no, it is not a just part and parcel of life.

You could be suffering from a condition experts dub as “coronasomnia”, a form of insomnia caused and made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.

No thanks coronavirus; we’ve had enough to deal with.

Here are ten facts to tell you all you need to know: what it is, what it’s caused by, and how to combat it.

1. It is a serious problem

This is not just something people just “get over”.

The relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and worsening sleep—both quality and quantity—is increasingly recognised by experts as a legitimate and serious concern.

The effects of coronasomnia can range from milder disruptions, like more restlessness or feeling unrefreshed even after sleep, to more serious ones, like being unable to sleep at all.

If left untreated, the condition can easily develop into chronic insomnia, persisting even after disruptions from the pandemic have subsided.

2. It is closely related to another sleeping disorder

But insomnia isn’t the only way COVID-19 can mess with your sleep.

You might also experience delayed sleep phase syndrome, where you fall asleep and wake up significantly later than usual. It can affect up to 16% of the general population, and may be made worse by the use of technological devices before bedtime.

Including watching Netflix.

3. It’s thanks to the stress of the uncertain and evolving situation

It needs no elaboration that the COVID-19 situation is a stressful affair. It is human instinct to forgo sleep when we perceive danger, staying awake instead so we can deal with the threat.

Unfortunately, the pandemic is both a looming threat that registers in our brains as danger, and one that we simply can’t deal with on our own.

This means skyrocketing and persistent stress and anxiety that keeps sleep at bay all the time. What’s more is that the Anxiety and Depression Association of America believes a lack of sleep can exacerbate anxiety disorders, creating a vicious cycle of even greater sleep loss.

4. And the change in routine

The pandemic has also hurt our daily routine. As Healthline explains, quarantine measures like working from home and home-based learning have interfered with our daytime structure.

We regularly associate leaving for work or school—and increased activity during the day—with the need to be awake, and winding down back at home with the permission to sleep. Without these indicators, our bodies are no longer clear when to prepare ourselves for sleep, and our nights suffer as a result.

Our circadian rhythms are further disrupted by our limited exposure to natural light while we stay at home, exacerbating coronasomnia further.

5. It’s happening everywhere

With the pandemic rampant around the world, it is no surprise that people everywhere are experiencing coronasomnia. According to the BBC, at the peak of lockdowns worldwide last year, insomnia rates rose by 5.4% in China, while nearly 40% of those surveyed in Italy and Greece experienced clinical insomnia last May.

Even as COVID-19 restrictions gradually ease, coronasomnia has persisted: Dr Pang Yoke Teen of Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre reports a 15% increase in insomnia cases even after the Circuit Breaker last year.

6. It can pose significant health challenges

Ah, sleep, the ancient remedy to every ailment in existence—much like drinking hot water and Chinese herbal oil.

The importance of sleep to health, however, is well-documented, and a loss of sleep is inevitably associated with poorer health.

According to the Franciscan Children’s Hospital, sleep deprivation can lead to an increased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure, among others. You might also find it more difficult to concentrate, to be productive at work or school, or simply to get along with others.

Perhaps more ironically, coronasomnia can lead to a compromised immune system—making you more susceptible to the actual COVID-19 virus.

7. A regular schedule can make things better

Since a key cause of coronasomnia is the loss of daily routine, trying our best to re-establish some structure in our lives can help alleviate the loss of sleep, as the Harvard Gazette suggests.

For example, we can maintain a regular schedule for meals and exercise, and stick to the same time for sleeping and waking. Try writing out your tasks for the day on a to-do list, and actually plan your day around it with a schedule you can stick to.

Setting up a dedicated workspace rather than letting your bedroom multitask also helps, so your brain can better differentiate work time and time to sit back and chill.

Your coworkers won’t have to see your unmade bed, too. #Win

8. As well as better sleep hygiene

Of course, sleep hygiene—a set of habits that promotes better sleep and which you probably ignore whenever you see—remains important here.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises a few simple steps that can help you find better sleep: these include making your bedroom quiet, dark, and relaxing, avoiding stimulants like caffeine before going to bed, or removing electronic devices from your bedroom.

So you won’t end up binging a whole season of Emily in Paris at 1am. Don’t ask why this example is so specific.

9. But there are things you shouldn’t do

Yes, Emily in Paris is an excellent show, but staring at a screen for three hours on end can inhibit the production of melatonin in our brains. Since melatonin is a hormone important to sleep, fewer of that means… less sleep.

It might also be tempting to take a nap after you wake up groggy from a night of unsatisfying sleep. However, a long nap in the day can ruin your appetite for sleep, says the Harvard Gazette, and worsen the loss of sleep at night.

10. Help is out there

If you still dream of sleep while you are awake even after trying all the above, don’t worry—there is professional help that can bring you back to the elusive realm of dreamland at last.

There are numerous providers of mental health services available in Singapore, many of whom have seen a noticeable increase in insomnia cases since Coronavirus Year 0. So you won’t be the only one.

If you do decide to seek professional help, you might be given relaxation therapy or taught certain techniques to alleviate anxiety and unnecessary body tension. Medicines could also be prescribed if coronasomnia continues.

So take a deep breath, relax, and close your eyes. Soon enough, sleep won’t just be a dream.

Featured Image: ae ssp / Shutterstock.com