How COVID-19 lockdown has altered sleep in the US and Europe

June 10, 2020

Science Daily/Cell Press

Two new studies show that relaxed school and work schedules and more time spent at home has led people to sleep more on average with less 'social jetlag' as indicated by a reduced shift in sleep timing and duration on work days versus free days. But, at the same time, one of the studies also finds that the pandemic has taken a toll when it comes to self-reported sleep quality.

Stay-at-home orders and "lockdowns" related to the COVID-19 pandemic have had a major impact on the daily lives of people around the world and that includes the way that people sleep, two studies report June 10 in the journal Current Biology. Both studies show that relaxed school and work schedules and more time spent at home has led people to sleep more on average with less "social jetlag" as indicated by a reduced shift in sleep timing and duration on work days versus free days. But, at the same time, one of the studies also finds that the pandemic has taken a toll when it comes to self-reported sleep quality.

"Usually, we would expect a decrease in social jetlag to be associated with reports of improved sleep quality," says sleep researcher and cognitive neuroscientist Christine Blume from the University of Basel's Centre for Chronobiology, Switzerland. "However, in our sample, overall sleep quality decreased. We think that the self-perceived burden, which substantially increased during this unprecedented COVID-19 lockdown, may have outweighed the otherwise beneficial effects of a reduced social jetlag."

In their study, Blume and colleagues including Marlene Schmidt and Christian Cajochen explored the effects of the strictest phase of the COVID-19 lockdown on the relationship between social and biological rhythms as well as sleep during a six-week period from mid-March until end of April 2020 in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Their data showed that the lockdown reduced the mismatch between social and biological sleep-wake timing as people began working from home more and sleeping more regular hours from day to day. People also slept about 15 minutes longer each night. However, the self-reported data indicated a perception that sleep quality had declined.

In the other study, Kenneth Wright at the University of Colorado, Boulder's Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory and colleagues asked similar questions by comparing sleep prior to and during Stay-at-Home orders in 139 university students as they shifted from taking their classes in-person to taking them remotely. As the team reports, nightly sleep duration increased by about 30 minutes during weekdays and 24 minutes on weekends. The timing of sleep also became more regular from day to day, and there was less social jetlag.

Students stayed up about 50 minutes later while staying home during weekdays and about 25 minutes later on weekends. Students that tended to sleep less before the effects of COVID-19 took hold showed the greatest increase in the amount of sleep after they stopped going to in-person classes. After the Stay-at-Home orders went into effect, 92 percent of students got the recommended 7 hours or more of sleep per night, up from 84 percent before.

"Insufficient sleep duration, irregular and late sleep timing, and social jetlag are common in modern society and such poor sleep health behaviors contribute to and worsen major health and safety problems, including heart disease and stroke, weight gain and obesity, diabetes, mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, substance abuse, and impaired immune health, as well as morning sleepiness, cognitive impairment, reduced work productivity, poor school performance and risk of accident/drowsy driving crashes," Wright said. "Our findings provide further evidence that poor sleep behaviors are modifiable in university students. A better understanding of which factors during Stay-at-Home orders contributed to changed sleep health behaviors may help to develop sleep health intervention strategies."

"Not surprisingly, this unprecedented situation of the pandemic and the lockdown increased self-perceived burden and had adverse effects on sleep quality," Blume said. "On a positive note, though, the relaxation of social schedules also led to an improved alignment between external or social factors determining our sleep-wake timing and our body's internal biological signals. This was also associated with overall, more sleep."

From a sleep health perspective, the increase in sleep duration and regularity are welcome changes, say the researchers. For those having trouble with sleep quality, Blume suggests engaging in physical activity under the open sky.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200610112107.htm

Sleep: Now More than Ever

 Sleep: Now More than Ever

Guest Contribution by Susan Doktor 

If you’re getting less sleep these days, you’re not alone. Extensive research demonstrates that depression and anxiety are among the leading causes of sleep problems. And with the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, a corollary anxiety pandemic is fast on its heels. The fear, human separation, and financial uncertainty that have accompanied the virus are taking their toll on our mental health and likely our sleep patterns, too.

But insomnia is hardly a new or uncommon phenomenon. As a nation, the US is getting less sleep now than we were a hundred years ago. Most of us will experience short bouts of it in our lifetimes but some 20% of Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders that present with insomnia as a primary symptom.

Curing any disorder that causes insomnia is the ultimate goal of sleep specialists. But in the absence of a cure—or when insomnia is the disorder itself—insomnia sufferers can take many steps towards getting a better night’s sleep. Let’s take a look at some of the habits, techniques, and products that can help us fall asleep faster and sleep longer and deeper once we do.

Practice Meditation

Meditation is a simple, safe technique that’s available to everyone. It costs nothing and you can learn how to do it without leaving home. All of the “side effects’ associated with meditation are positive, including reduced inflammation, improved cognition, increased immune function, and more.

Focus on Comfort

Our bodies are dynamic. The sleep-related choices you made and habits you adopted years ago may not be serving you well right now. So take an inventory of your bedtime rituals and “equipment.” Perhaps you’ve been sleeping on the same mattress for a decade. The best mattress for your body may not be the one you’re sleeping on, now that you’ve aged ten years.  

How do you know if it’s time for a change? While many mattresses carry longer warranties, experts recommend replacing your mattress every eight to ten years. Obvious sagging is one clue that your mattress is past its prime. If you suffer from allergies and they get worse at night, your mattress may be the culprit. And in general, if you wake with more pain than you went to sleep with, that’s a good reason to consider buying a new mattress.

If you’ve become a hot sleeper—which can happen due to changes in your age, your health, hormone fluctuations, or the medicines you take—it may be time to look into bedding products designed to keep you cool. Choose natural fibers for your sheets and pillows. You may also want to avoid sleeping on a memory foam mattress, which conforms more closely to your body and traps heat in your bed.

Avoid Substances that Can Disturb Sleep

It’s common sense to avoid using stimulants before going to bed. Coffee and cigarettes fall into that category, as do a host of dangerous illegal substances. But don’t imagine that a glass of wine is going to help you get the shut-eye you need, either. Alcohol may induce drowsiness initially but it disrupts circadian rhythms, prevents you from entering the REM phase of sleeping, and can aggravate breathing problems. Some prescription medications, including those commonly prescribed for hypertension and depression, can also adversely affect sleep. Before taking any medication, ask your physician whether it has the potential to keep you awake and whether you’re better off taking it in the daytime.

Get Some Exercise Every Day

Scientists continue to study the specific benefits that daily (and even occasional) exercise can bestow on insomniacs. Evidence strongly suggests that if you experience sleep apnea or other breathing-related sleep problem, exercise can reduce the severity of your symptoms. But like sleep, exercise has restorative powers of its own. Fit in into your routine and you’ll feel better throughout the day.

Shut it Down

The time we spend engaged with our electronic devices continues to grow. Our work has become more technology-driven. We’re spending more of our leisure time on social media. But the blue light emitted by computer and smartphone screens has been demonstrated to disrupt our sleep cycles, particularly when we’re exposed to it before bed time. You’ll sleep more if you surf less. And don’t just put your phone away. Turn it off. That way the dings that signal your night-owl friends’ Facebook posts won’t wake you either. Whatever it is, it can wait til morning.