And for younger kids, I think the lack of social interaction has had a more negative than positive effect on their sleep. And that's led to trouble sleeping for kids and teens. But for some of them, there's been a lot of stress and anxiety around this as well. And I'm sure some people have heard, there's been a lot of conversation pre-pandemic about what time schools should start, given the biological predisposition of teenagers to have late schedules. They're sleeping more because they don't have to get up so early. So, we have seen a lot of changes because of school at home and sleep. Another interesting group though is kids and teenagers. Martin: We definitely see that people who, as I mentioned, work in essential jobs or in high-stress occupations have had more disturbed sleep. Mills: Are there groups of people who have been at higher risk of sleep problems than others in the past year? So, not only are people having trouble with their sleep, but they're trying to figure out what to do about it. The other really remarkable statistic to me that's emerged over the past year is that sales of over-the-counter sleep aids and melatonin, which is an herbal supplement often touted as a treatment for insomnia, have tripled or doubled depending on where you look in the last year compared to the year prior. And we saw dramatic increases, in addition to a number of other psychological symptoms, in symptoms of insomnia and poor sleep quality. The early research that we saw was around individuals working in healthcare settings, which as you can imagine was really the epicenter of stress around the COVID pandemic, especially when we knew less than we do now about transmission and risk. And that is the changes in our habits and our routines and the levels of stress and anxiety have been having a direct impact on sleep, not just for a few people, but for the majority of people. Martin: The results of the APA survey are pretty consistent with what we're seeing, not just in the United States, but worldwide. Has this been borne out in the research you've seen or in anecdotal reports? How has the pandemic been affecting our sleep? So, similar proportions in either direction. About 35% reported less sleep and 31% reported more sleep than they wanted. In an APA Stress in America survey released earlier this year, two out of three people said they were sleeping either more or less than they wanted to since the pandemic started. Mills: Let's start with the number I mentioned a minute ago. I'm really happy to be here with you talking about sleep today. ![]() And she's been quoted widely in the media this past year about the pandemic's effects on sleep. She was also one of the co-authors of its recent guidelines on behavioral treatments for insomnia. She serves on the board of directors of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and is a spokesperson for the academy. ![]() Martin's research and teaching focus on behavioral treatments for insomnia and on how sleep affects health and wellbeing. Jennifer Martin, a clinical psychologist and professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. ![]() ![]() So, what effects might these disrupted sleep patterns have on our physical and mental health? Are sleep problems likely to stick around once the pandemic is over? And for those of us who are having trouble with sleep, what are the most effective treatments and advice that can help us get a good night's rest? Welcome to Speaking of Psychology, the flagship podcast of the American Psychological Association that examines the links between psychological science and everyday life. Some news outlets have even come up with a name for the problem, “coronasomnia”. In March, APA’s Stress in America survey found that two out of three people said that they had been sleeping either more or less than they wanted to since the pandemic began. The uncertainty, stress and disrupted routines we've all experienced this past year have, for many of us, taken a toll on our sleep. Kim Mills: Is your sleep schedule a mess lately? If so, you're not alone.
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