Insomnia and apnea during the night mainly affect men and 10% of Italians suffer from it. But since the start of the pandemic, the numbers have steadily increased. “If on the one hand, distance learning and smartworking give the possibility of synchronizing sleep needs in the best possible way, also allowing you to wake up later or rest during the afternoon hours; on the other hand, Dad and teleworking are a serious danger to the quality of sleep, ”he explained Francesco Fanfulla, director of the sleep medicine center of the Maugeri Institute of Pavia (VIDEO).
“The obligation to stay at home has completely changed the rhythm of sleep – added Fanfulla – but also giving up physical activity and long exposure to light from the TV and PC considerably affect the night’s rest. Furthermore, there is a substantial change in the relationship with the bed, made up of longer afternoon sleeps which consequently lead to going to bed later. All this represents a serious danger to the quality of our rest, to which must be added anxiety, depression, fears related to the virus and the worked aspects. These are all elements that affect the sleep loss often characterized by nightmares “, explained Fanfulla.
In this regard, on the occasion of the World sleep day scheduled for March 19, there are many initiatives aimed at raising citizens’ awareness of a problem which, if taken lightly, risks having far more serious consequences. The network of sleep medicine centers of the Maugeri Institute, at the forefront in the study and research of pathologies related to lack of rest, will launch free visits and teleconsultations in its nine Institutes. From 15 March it will be sufficient to book on 800909646, active from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 19.00 to investigate the problems that afflict citizens.
“There are many negative reflections that affect patients with this problem,” said Fanfulla. “The daily activity is conditioned in the following day by a poor ability to concentrate, mood disorders and an adequate loss of alertness. It’s not a bad night that creates these disturbances, but you need to be timely when you notice that something is wrong, “he concluded.
In order for a diagnosis to be made, it is first of all necessary to contact the family doctor, bearing in mind that these aspects also require the support of other professionals (pulmonologists, cardiologists, dentists, etc.). Furthermore, if previously the assessment could only be done within hospital institutions through monitoring in the sleep room, today, thanks to new technologies and research, it is possible to evaluate one’s personal situation directly from home thanks to the help of monitoring bands that can then send the data directly to the hospital without always making it necessary to be present in the clinic.