More than 1 out of 4 of your patients are not getting enough sleep, and millions are saying ‘I have COVID and can’t sleep’
Americans have never been known to have great sleeping habits, and COVID is exponentially compounding the issue, with many patients saying “I have COVID and can’t sleep.” Even before COVID, just a few countries ranked lower than the U.S. in total sleep per night. An amazing 27% of Americans say they are not well-rested, with over 1.2 million workdays and $14.3 billion in economic losses lost annually due to lack of sleep.[1]
More important than the economic damage a lack of sleep brings, the mental and physical toll is worse. After breathing and keeping hydrated, sleep is the most critical factor in people’s health. Yes, sleep is that important. A lack of sleep can be mentally and physically devastating.
‘I have COVID and can’t sleep’ and chronic sleep deprivation
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Some of the most serious potential problems associated with chronic sleep deprivation are high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure or stroke. Other potential problems include obesity, depression, impairment in immunity, and lower sex drive.”[2] That study, in itself, is depressing.
Speaking of depression, let’s be clear on what are the major causes of insomnia/lack of sleep. Recent Mayo Clinic research cites the major causes of insomnia as stress, depression, poor eating habits, lack of exercise and a demanding work schedule.[3]
Unfortunately, the bad news only gets worse due to COVID, and with your telehealth patients you may have heard “I have COVID and can’t sleep.”
COVID has caused a significant spike in anxiety and depression — both major causes of insomnia. According to data compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau and National Center for Health Statistics, more than 4 in 10 U.S. adults have developed symptoms of depression or anxiety in 2020,[4] a sharp increase from pre-COVID studies.
Not only is the mental stress of COVID making insomnia worse for Americans; it is also taking a massive physical toll. Two major factors of the physical toll are the facts that 1) Sleep-deprived people get much more acute cases of COVID, and 2) People who have gotten COVID are suffering from far greater insomnia after they recover.
A recent Cleveland Clinic study found that people with certain sleep disorders have more severe outcomes from COVID-19, including a 31% higher rate of hospitalization and mortality.[5] This is logical, as people with poor sleep patterns are less healthy, more obese and have lower immunity than those who sleep well. The study found that people with an unhealthy lifestyle and COVID get far more significant damage to the body than healthy people who contract COVID. In addition, poorer immunity makes it much harder for the body to recover.
Even after recovering from COVID, sleep disorders get worse. A report from Medical and Life Sciences News concludes, “Unexplained symptoms have been arising in those who have recovered from COVID-19. The disease, which affects the central nervous system, has been inducing a multitude of symptoms in those who have recovered, including brain fog, changes in attention, debilitating headaches, muscular weakness, and most often, insomnia.”[6]
The frightening conclusion? Sleep disorders make COVID worse, and COVID makes sleep disorders worse. It is a vicious cycle.
Sleep medication issues
The solution to this pandemic is not more prescription sleep medication. Like most prescriptions, sleep medications treat the symptoms, not the root cause. According to the Mayo Clinic, sleep medications have some serious side effects,[7] including:
- Dizziness or lightheadedness, which may lead to falls
- Headache
- Gastrointestinal problems, such as diarrhea and nausea
- Prolonged drowsiness, more so with drugs that help you stay asleep
- Severe allergic reaction
- Sleep-related behaviors, such as driving or eating when not fully awake
- Daytime memory and performance problems
The solution to the Sleep Pandemic? DCs. Chiropractors must take a leadership role in this insomnia pandemic, just as they have done with the opioid crisis and COVID. That leadership role entails working with insomnia patients and developing personalized treatments to help them sleep better. Those treatments include having open conversations with patients about their sleep patterns, making sure patients are consistently visiting your office for treatments, and providing proven, natural and organic products to help them break the cycle of insomnia.
CBD and sleep
According to the National Institutes of Health study “Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series,” one possible solution for providing a natural, organic sleep solution is cannabinoids.
A 2019 study showed that “Cannabidiol may hold benefit for anxiety-related disorders.”[8] The study outlined how CBD with a low-THC product has proved to be effective in the fight against anxiety and insomnia. The study results showed that patients taking the CBD/low-THC combination had great results. “Anxiety scores decreased within the first month in 79.2% of the patients and remained decreased during the study duration. Sleep scores improved within the first month in 48 patients (66.7% of the patients) but fluctuated over time.”
Of course, patients also have a responsibility to improve their sleep health, and you can help patients telling you “I have COVID and can’t sleep.” Patients should educate themselves on the root causes of their insomnia and research which options they feel most comfortable with. Hopefully, they will conclude that prescription medication is not the answer but instead determine that a healthier, more balanced lifestyle can break the vicious cycle of their sleep disorder.
JOE KRYSZAK, MBA, is president of Stirling Professional CBD, the brand built by and for chiropractors and professional offices, giving back to the chiropractic industry. Since 2014, Stirling has grown, extracted and produced the purest CBD available. Stirling Professional brings amazing CBD+ products to your patients with the industry-leading lineup of 2,500-mg CBD lotions, THC and THC-free capsules and gels, and four great solutions for better sleep. We bring affordable solutions to your patients. For more information, go to stirlingprofessional.com.
References
[1] https://disturbmenot.co/most-sleep-deprived-countries
[2] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/happens-body-dont-get-enough-sleep
[3] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167
[4] https://www.statista.com/chart/21878/impact-of-coronavirus-pandemic-on-mental-health
[5] Cleveland Clinic. “Sleep disorders linked with more severe outcomes from COVID-19, study suggests.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 10 November 2021. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211110131628.htm
[6] https://www.news-medical.net/health/COVID-19-and-Sleep
[7] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/in-depth/sleeping-pills/art-20043959
