By Miguel Cruz Tejada
NEW YORK: Coronasomnia, a portmanteau of the words coronavirus and insomnia, is a term used to describe the wide range of sleep problems related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coronasomnia, sometimes called COVID Somnia, is a colloquial rather than an official or medical term. It reflects that sleep problems during the pandemic occur for many reasons beyond a simple SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection.
Research has found noticeable changes in sleep patterns.
Including disturbed bedtimes, difficulty falling asleep, and reduced quality of sleep. Not surprisingly, these sleep disruptions have also been linked to daytime sleepiness during the pandemic.
Staying asleep affected approximately 30% of the US population. One year into the pandemic, many more people are now reporting problems with insomnia. This sleep disruption is not unique to Americans. People worldwide are experiencing an increase in insomnia caused by the coronavirus pandemic. A study in China found a 37% increase in insomnia rates at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-February 2020. In 2020, “insomnia” was Googled more than ever in a year. It is so widespread that this phenomenon of sleep has its name – “coronasomnia.”
“Coronasomnia started out as an acute problem because of its situational nature [at the start of the pandemic],” says Dr. Daniel Barone, a neurologist and sleep medicine expert at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “However, more than a year has passed and coronasomnia has become a chronic problem now.”
Health Matters spoke with Dr. Barone, associate professor of clinical neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine, about the rise in this sleep phenomenon, its root causes, and what people can do to achieve more restful sleep.
What causes coronasomnia?
Dr. Barone says two main culprits cause Coronasomnia: routine disruption and ongoing stress and anxiety.
Whether it’s juggling the demands of working from home or helping kids navigate virtual education, our everyday lives have been upended, and we’ve all had to deal with the stress of the new normal. “And then you have general anxiety and worry about the virus itself—will I be exposed, will I be able to get vaccinated? These are all very real concerns that are playing a role in insomnia,” says Dr. Barone.
According to Dr. Barone, many people may have yet to realize how important it is to maintain a daily routine, especially in the circadian rhythm, our body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. When regular performances are turned upside down, it can throw a wrench into our sleep. “When I talk about sleep, I talk a lot about conditioning the brain,” explains Dr. Barone. “For example, there is no longer a differentiation between work life and home life. People sometimes use their rooms and even their beds as a workplace. That’s where this conditioning happens: the brain begins to associate the bedroom or the bed as a place of work and stress instead of a place of rest”.
Sustained stress and anxiety also contribute to coronasomnia. When the body is stressed, it produces cortisol, the “fight or flight” hormone. “This makes it harder for the body to get into a relaxed state,” says Dr. Barone.
Health consequences of coronasomnia
While it is natural to lose some sleep due to temporary stress, the pandemic has made coronary insomnia a chronic condition for many.
Chronic insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep for at least three nights a week that persists for at least three months. Over time, if left unaddressed, it can lead to health problems such as the increased risk of high blood pressure, obesity, anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. It can also lead to a suppressed immune system, making the body less able to fight viruses.
