Having trouble sleeping during the last, oh six months or so? You’re so not alone! From our work life to school for our kids, so much has changed since the pre-pandemic days and our sleep schedules are taking a hit. According to a new study, more than a third of people around the world are struggling with insomnia and anxiety because of the health crisis. Researchers analyzed data from the Sleep Cycle app, tracking users’ sleep quality for 33-million nights of shut eye between January and May 2020, then followed up with over 69-thousand users in 22 countries in a survey to find out more about how the pandemic has affected their sleep.
These are the top seven reasons the study finds for why people can’t fall asleep at night:
Too much alcohol - Nearly half of the respondents (44.6%) say that drinking too much alcohol was the reason they didn’t sleep during the pandemic.
Consuming too much news - Staying informed is important, but keeping up with the news can come with downsides. In the survey, 46.4% admit that their news habit is keeping them awake and it’s those between 18 and 44 who are stressing out about it the most.
Fear of getting sick or getting a loved one sick - Almost half (46%) say being afraid of getting sick was keeping them from catching those ZZZs. This was most on the minds of those 35 and older, who list it in their top three worries.
Financial stress - With high unemployment rates and the state of the economy, it’s not surprising that people are stressed about money. It’s the fourth reason people give for not being able to sleep, with 49.8% blaming their insomnia on financial stress.
Too much screen time - The report finds 53.4% feel their technology use is the reason they aren’t sleeping soundly.
Feeling lonely - This is a big issue, especially for the youngest age group surveyed, those between 18 and 24, with 38% saying loneliness is keeping them up at night. On the flip side, only 1% of those 65 and older feel this worry is why they’re not sleeping well.
Too much caffeine - And the biggest issue for those who can’t sleep during the pandemic? It’s too much caffeine, with 54.5% putting the blame on this issue.
Source: Best Life