[Square] Did You Sleep Well Last Night?

The COVID-19 pandemic, which shook the world, accelerated the transition to a contactless society and completely changed everyday life. Practices such as hand washing, wearing masks, and social distancing altered the perception of infectious diseases. The number of pediatric, otolaryngology, and ophthalmology patients decreased. On the other hand, economic downturn and reduced social interaction led to an increase in depression patients, often referred to as "Corona Blue." Depression always comes with a bad companion, and that companion is insomnia.

"People who sleep too little or excessively may have underlying health issues and shorter healthy lifespans." The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) analyzed the correlation between sleep duration and health and recommended an appropriate amount of sleep. For children and adolescents, maintaining proper sleep duration improves concentration, behavior, learning, memory, emotional regulation, quality of life, and mental health. A 2009 survey of medical students at Seoul National University showed a significant correlation between regular sleep habits and academic achievement.

Long-term sleep deprivation damages the body. Even healthy adults diagnosed with prediabetes after several consecutive nights of insufficient sleep. It suppresses the immune system, reducing the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. The hunger hormone "ghrelin" is overproduced, and the satiety hormone "leptin" decreases, increasing the risk of obesity. Neurotoxic substances are eliminated during sleep, so prolonged insomnia raises the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. This explains why the head feels heavy and painful after a sleepless night.

Research on sleep habits and self-control shows that chronic sleep deprivation reduces self-control, attention maintenance, and resistance to impulses. Police investigating reckless and retaliatory drivers sometimes find that the drivers are normally gentle people, surprised by this fact. Most cases involve individuals unable to control bad habits due to lack of sleep. Soldiers deprived of sleep for 48 hours have attacked allies, and there have even been cases of aiming guns at civilians.

The harder one tries to sleep, the more elusive sleep becomes. Many choose sleeping pills as a solution, but long-term use has many side effects. Dependence on sleeping pills develops because falling asleep without them becomes difficult. Quitting sleeping pills is as hard as quitting alcohol or smoking. Falling asleep with alcohol may help, but it lowers sleep quality. Identifying the cause early in insomnia and practicing personalized appropriate methods can eliminate the suffering of chronic insomnia.

The most effective way to sleep well at night is to spend the daytime well. Exercising more than 150 minutes per week is effective in treating insomnia and reduces depression and anxiety that interfere with sleep. Taking a 20-30 minute walk in the sunlight after lunch is beneficial. Fixing wake-up times regardless of bedtime is also helpful. Although difficult at first, a fixed wake-up time will eventually induce sleepiness at night. A warm shower before bed relaxes the body and mind, creating conditions conducive to falling asleep.

For sound sleep, controlling light stimulation, sound stimulation, temperature, and humidity is necessary. Blue light from smartphones before sleep stimulates the brain and disrupts sleep. Low-frequency repetitive sounds calm the mind and aid sleep. Adjust your bedroom environment with an affordable digital temperature and humidity meter. If you still cannot sleep, visit a sleep clinic. Early treatment of causes can prevent chronic insomnia.

Laborghun, Director of Carnation Nursing Hospital

President of the Northern Gyeonggi Branch of the Korean Association of Nursing Hospitals

Author of "Snoring Husband, Insomniac Wife"