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For example, even though it may seem counterintuitive after a lost night’s sleep, avoid napping, or at least cut it short. To nip insomnia in the bud, Posner recommended simple behavioral changes. MGH research finds chemical pathway from lack of shut-eye to atherosclerosis “So it interferes with the ability to recover from depression as well,” he said. Insomnia lasting two to four weeks increases the risk of depression, Posner said, while lack of sleep is also linked to a poorer response to treatment. Mental health problems are complicated by a lack of sleep. Implicated in obesity, insomnia makes losing weight more difficult, and recent studies also link it to increased risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. In addition to the cognitive consequences - from inability to focus to general irritability - chronic insomnia is correlated with a spectrum of serious health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. “The actions that we’re taking to protect ourselves can not only precipitate problems with sleep, but lead to chronic problems with sleep,” Posner said. However, recovery was not always complete or final, and 6.8 percent developed full-blown chronic insomnia, defined by the DSM as having sleep issues at least three nights a week for at least three months.Īs new schedules have us resetting - or turning off - alarm clocks and often getting less outdoor time and exercise, these problems are getting worse.
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Defined in the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as difficulty going to sleep, staying asleep, or waking too early, this lack of rest is triggered by stress or any event that changes quality of life - a manifestation of the “fight or flight” response to danger - and is different from the sleep deficit caused by too-busy schedules.Ĭiting a study by the National Initiative for Tracking and Evaluating Sleeplessness (NITES) at the University of Pennsylvania, Posner noted that in more than 72 percent of cases, short-term insomnia resolves itself. Think of it as a risk factor that we want to get on top of lest it spread.”Įven in normal times, approximately 30 percent to 35 percent of the population experiences acute, or short-term, insomnia, said Posner, a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and a founding member of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine. “Think of sleep problems as infection,” said Posner, president of Sleepwell Associates and an adjunct clinical associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Insomnia help forum series#
Chan School of Public Health online forum on Wednesday, the fourth in a series of weekly sessions addressing the emotional and psychological effects of the pandemic.Ĭalling the current situation a “perfect storm of sleep problems,” Donn Posner, the forum’s featured speaker, pointed out how disrupted daily routines worsen the sleep-robbing stress of the pandemic.
Insomnia help forum how to#
“Coronavirus, social distancing, and acute insomnia: How to avoid chronic sleep problems before they get started” was the Harvard T.H. Too many sleepless nights can aggravate both physical and mental health problems, but a few simple adjustments to our already altered routines may resolve our bedtime issues before they snowball. Sleep is emerging as the latest casualty of the COVID-19 crisis.
Insomnia help forum update#
This is part of our Coronavirus Update series in which Harvard specialists in epidemiology, infectious disease, economics, politics, and other disciplines offer insights into what the latest developments in the COVID-19 outbreak may bring.