Americans Are Up At Night Worrying And Stressed Out About The State Of The World.
Depressed woman awake in the night, she is exhausted and suffering from insomnia
A new national survey by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center finds many Americans are losing sleep over stress and worry about the current state of the world. After a global pandemic, polarizing political division and more than two years of turbulent events, nearly one in five survey respondents report struggling to fall asleep at night.
According to a recent national poll by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, many Americans are having trouble sleeping due to stress and worry about how the world is currently. Over two years of turbulent events, a pandemic that affected the entire world, dividing political conflict, and nearly one in five survey participants say they have trouble falling asleep at night.
According to Dr. Aneesa Das, professor of internal medicine, “here at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, there was a 29% increase in referrals for sleeplessness from 2018 to 2021.” “Stress can produce muscle tension, an upset stomach, an increase in blood pressure, and an increase in heart rate. These factors all boost our attentiveness, which makes it more challenging to fall asleep.
According to the report, many Americans attempt to treat sleep problems by engaging in behaviours that may interfere with getting a good night’s rest. 37% of Americans report falling asleep with the TV on, and nearly half of Americans say they read through their phones before bed.
Our circadian drive—the internal clock that regulates when we should be up and asleep—is mostly influenced by light, according to Das. “We increase that bright light exposure at the incorrect time when we use our smartphones and TVs right before bed.”
Dr. Das advocates going outside as often as possible during the day to increase exposure to natural light. Limiting light exposure after the sun goes down is crucial for getting better sleep. Additionally, sustaining a weekly exercise plan is essential to establishing your body’s ideal sleep cycle.
In addition, even little behavioural changes can aid with better sleep habits. Here are few:
Preserving a cold, quiet, and dark bedroom.
Only lying-in bed when it’s time to sleep Adopting cognitive behavioural techniques like muscle relaxation.
Maintaining regular wake-up and bedtimes, especially on the weekends.
Experts advise starting with a conversation with your primary care physician if you’re unable to enhance your sleep. They can assist in determining whether further strategies, such as sleep restriction, may be helpful or whether the insomnia may be a sign of another medical problem.
