Why Is Insomnia on the Rise?

Why Is Insomnia on the Rise?

This article relates to Graveyard Shift

Each of the five protagonists in M. L. Rio's novella Graveyard Shift struggles, in some form, with lack of sleep. Insomnia, which is a persistent difficulty in getting adequate quality sleep, can have a significant negative impact on both our physical and mental health, with effects including anxiety, depression, memory problems, a weakened immune system, and chronic pain. It is also linked to conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

The number of people dealing with insomnia and other sleep disorders is on the rise around the world. Researchers have identified a number of causes of this increase. Unsurprisingly, COVID-19 is a major contributing factor; for many people, the pandemic generated and continues to generate significant stress and anxiety about their own health, the health of their families, and their employment and finances. The increase in insomnia and other sleep problems related to stress caused by COVID-19 have been dubbed "Coronasomnia" by medical experts. Other contributing causes related to COVID-19 are the emotional impact of isolation, less active lifestyles, and disruptions to daily routine; for example, spending more time at home might limit light-based cues for wakefulness that help keep your sleep pattern on schedule.

There's also the impact of the virus itself: studies have found that many people who have had COVID-19 experienced trouble sleeping when they were sick (often at least partly due to other symptoms, like fever, pain, and nausea), and up to 31% of people with long COVID continue to experience disrupted sleep.

Outside of COVID, there's also the fact that we are living in a digital age: many of us spend hours each day using devices and staring at screens. Our brains rely on our natural sleep-wake cycle, known as the circadian rhythm, to fall asleep. As natural light fades, our bodies produce greater levels of melatonin, the hormone that encourages sleep. But our brains interpret the blue light let off by devices in a similar way to sunlight. This means scrolling on our phones before bed can essentially trick our brains into believing it is still daytime, disrupting our circadian rhythm, reducing melatonin production, and keeping us awake.

Filed under Medicine, Science and Tech

This article relates to Graveyard Shift. It first ran in the November 20, 2024 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.

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