BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many aspects of our lives, including on how we sleep. This global
coronavirus has caused a lot to us. It changed much about our lives in the last couple of months and that
includes our sleeping patterns. Social distancing, closure of schools, work from home and the worries of
staying healthy during the pandemic was a distressing time for us. Our daily routine have likely been
turned upside down, worrying the uncertainty in the world that causes us a lot of stress. (Robinson and
Smith, M.A., 2020)  A growing burden of mental health problems has become a global concern amid the
coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Sleep disorders are major mental health problems associated
with increased psychosocial stressors; however, no research synthesis is available on the epidemiology
of it. (Tasnim, S. et al. 2020) Another significant consequence of this pandemic are the emotional and
mental stress caused by the continuing high levels of anxiety, panic, depression, and sleeplessness. As in
other situations characterized by quarantine. Fears about future, economic hardship, lockdown fatigue,
uncertainty about the real situation and the spread of it as well as the drop in social interactions and loss
of social support, may react with the altered lifestyle to trigger sleep disorders.

Sleep is established to be crucial to maintaining physical and mental health at a reasonable level of
quality. Disruptions of the normal sleep cycle can cause the total amount of sleep to reduce, with
sustained alertness. This, in turn, can precipitate sleepless episodes, mood instability in the daytime, bad
dreams, and tiredness.

Some common triggers for lousy sleep habits include the overuse of technology, severe stress, anxiety,
trauma, poverty, city life, and the increased use of social media. Poor sleep habits are, therefore, not
only quite common, being found in up to 25% of the population, but also are linked to a range of poor
health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cancer, sepsis, and metabolic
syndrome. The current study evaluates the presence and causes of sleep disorder and the current
interventions intended to correct it. In many studies, younger people reported pandemic-related sleep
disturbances, but there was a lack of contextual data that hindered the exploration of such associations.

In both higher and lower levels of education, it was found to have a significant impact on sleep. The
former may be because of academic and professional stresses operating on the former, while the latter
may be due to lack of financial stability. Other variables included living alone or in isolation and having
poor family or social support. The most specific factors for sleep disorder associated with the pandemic
included fear of infection, anxiety about the illness itself, lack of trust in the countermeasures, and being
unsure of the efficacy of both preventive and treatment measures in this condition. (Dr. Liji Thomas,
2020)

Sleep Disorders
According to health line, Sleep disorders are a group of conditions that affect the ability to sleep well on a
regular basis. Whether they are caused by a health problem or by too much stress, most people
occasionally experience sleeping problems due to stress, hectic schedules, and other outside influences.
However, when these issues begin to occur on a regular basis and interfere with daily life, they may
indicate a sleeping disorder.
Depending on the type of sleep disorder, people may have a difficult time falling asleep and may feel
extremely tired throughout the day. The lack of sleep can have a negative impact on energy, mood,
concentration, and overall health. There are many different types of sleep disorders. Some may be
caused by other underlying health conditions. Insomnia refers to the inability to fall asleep or to remain
asleep. It can be caused by jet lag, stress and anxiety, hormones, or digestive problems. It may also be a
symptom of another condition.

Insomnia can be problematic for your overall health and quality of life, potentially causing: Depression,
difficulty concentrating, irritability and weight gain

Many causes of sleep deprivation are seen in the young population of high school and college-age
individuals because they fail to maintain a healthy sleep schedule. This is a result of bad habits, including
staying up until the early hours of the morning due to overwhelming amounts of homework, part time
jobs, social lives and other responsibilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become even more
difficult to maintain a healthy sleep cycle.

Kulsum, an expert in sleep apnea and sleep deprivation, recommends that young adults, especially
college students, need seven to eight hours of sleep every day. With less sleep the brain is not getting
enough rest. Then the ability for an individual to focus is unstable and the ability to concentrate on work
and studies decline. Some warning signs of sleep deprivation include dozing off, feeling sleepy in class,
poor test taking skills and lack of attendance, Dr. Kulsam said. (Merolla, 2020)

According to Sleep Foundation, The term sleep deprivation refers to getting less than the needed
amount of sleep, which, for adults, ranges from seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Children and
teens need even more nightly sleep than adults. Sleep deprivation is defined based on sleep duration,
which is the total amount of time a person spends asleep. In reality, though, being well-rested is about
more than just how many hours you sleep. As a result, the terms sleep deficiency or sleep
insufficiency are more frequently used to describe factors that reduce the quantity and/or quality of
sleep and keep a person from waking up refreshed.
References:

 Dr. Liji Thomas, MD, Sleep disorders common during COVID-19 pandemic, 2020

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20201013/Sleep-disorders-common-during-COVID-19-
pandemic.aspx

 Tasnim, S. et al. (2020). Epidemiology of Sleep Disorders during COVID-19 Pandemic: A

Systematic Scoping Review. medRxiv preprint.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.08.20209148. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/
2020.10.08.20209148v1

 Lawrence Robinson and Melinda Smith, M.A. Sleep Problems During Coronavirus, 2020
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/sleep-problems-during-coronavirus.htm
 Jenna Michelle Merolla, Sleep Deprivation Heightened During the Pandemic, 2020
https://www.maristcircle.com/features/2020/9/29/sleep-deprivation-heightened-pandemic-
college-students
 The Sleep Foundation, What is Sleep Deprivation?
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation