During the COVID-19 pandemic, sleep issues like insomnia became common and have persisted beyond the disease. A study published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine found that sleep disorders amount to 50 to 75 percent of all post-COVID symptoms. Although it’s a “post-COVID symptom,” insomnia is not only caused by the virus itself.
We’ve talked about various chronic post-COVID symptoms. But sleep dysfunction after COVID infection might not be caused by the virus only. Very likely it has to do with the lack of daily movement, lack of social interaction, and increased stress due to the lockdown measures.
A study has adopted a commonly used animal model to research the impact of chronic stress caused by repeated social interaction failure on health. A group of smaller, weaker rats were put into the cage of stronger, aggressive rats.
After the weaker rats were attacked and hurt physically for 15 minutes by the stronger ones, the researchers separated them with a barrier, but the weaker rats could still see the stronger ones for another 15 minutes. This means, even though the weaker rats weren’t being attacked anymore, there was still long-lasting psychological stress.
The researchers found that the weaker rats not only had psychological stress but also presented a biased, increased level of T-helper type 2 cells in the body, as well as increased pro-inflammatory cytokines. As a result, it all leads to chronic inflammation.
Secondly, the stress created in those who were bullied can lead to the activation of the basolateral amygdala (responsible for emotion, anger, and anxiety) and microglia (immune cells of the brain).
In addition, anxious behavior increased. Compared with the normal controls, the stressed rats had spent less time in the open field, in making social interactions with others, or in the open arm of the elevated plus maze.
Anxiety and fear are usually associated with chronic inflammation, which creates a vicious cycle and causes day and night rhythm disorders.
If bullies knew what kind of damage bullying could bring to their victims, not only physically but also psychologically, they would not engage in such behavior.
Sleep Issues Cause All Kinds of Illnesses
There are lots of illnesses that bad sleep can cause, including the following:
- Psychological: irritability, domestic violence, emotional and social impairments.
- Heart: cardiovascular disease and sympathetic vagal nerve imbalance.
- Metabolic: chronic inflammation, obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, glucose metabolic disorders.
- Cancer: impaired immunity, cell cycle disorder, and increased cancer risks.
Those with high levels of C-reactive protein tend to develop long-COVID symptoms. The inflammatory cytokines IL-6 are linked to various psychiatric disorders.
It is worthwhile to note that the psychological system, neurological system, and immunity, are well-interconnected via “currencies,” such as neurotransmitters (e.g., adenoids), hormones (e.g., stress hormones, melatonin) and furthermore, cytokines (e.g., IL-6, TNF). Among them, cytokines are especially important feedback signals from peripheral to central, because they were produced by immune cells, but their signals can reach the brain and affect the immune cell functions in the brain, thus worsening the chronic inflammation status of the nervous system.
It’s a vicious cycle: Stress and negative emotions cause increased cytokines, subsequently worsening sleep disorders. So people suffer from more anxiety, inflammation, and worsened sleep disorders.
2 Ways to Destress and Break the Vicious Cycle of Sleep Disorder
In order to sleep well, one should proactively decrease the chronic inflammation state. In addition to other standard treatments or health advice for long-COVID, here are two more ways to reduce stress.Focus
Focus your attention on anything, even if it is something that seems to be boring for you. As long as you are focused, there are opportunities to lift your spirit and improve your health.It might sound inconceivable, but a study by Florida State University asked 51 student volunteers to wash dishes. The students were divided into two groups; each was given a note.
The note for Group One said, “Wash dishes.” The note for Group Two included instructions and details for attention while washing dishes, such as feeling the temperature of the water, smelling the fragrance of the detergent, and feeling the texture of the plates, etc.
The results showed that students in Group Two demonstrated a 27 percent lower anxiety score than those in Group One (1.23 vs. 1.69), and a 25 percent higher inspiration score than Group One (2.65 vs. 2.12).
Although the study is small in scale and needs further validation, it nonetheless brought great insight to people. If one concentrates on something, even if that usually seems to be boring, and as long as one focuses on his/her present moment, one can reduce negative emotions, and anxiety, and even get inspired.
Of course, it is not just about washing dishes or any daily activities. If we can focus on the present—feel and enjoy every small detail—and not think about other things, we can relax, destress, and feel elevated/inspired.
This also explains the beneficial health effects of traditional activities, including Chinese tea art. It’s not about the work itself, but about focusing on the present and our mentality. Why not give it a try?
Practice to Relax
Frequent relaxation practices and meditation can help us reduce our bodies’ reaction to external pressure. In other words, when stressful stimulants come at us, our bodies do not react as much.A study followed 49 breast cancer patients and 10 prostate cancer patients in an eight-week-long mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program, which included relaxation, meditation, gentle yoga, and daily home practice.
Up to a 12-month follow-up showed fewer stress symptoms (left), lowered cortisol level (right), decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines, and lowered systolic blood pressure in those subjects who received MBSR compared to those who did not.
Other Ways to Fight Insomnia
Here are some tips for a good night’s sleep:1. More exercises in the daytime, such as walking, can improve sleep quality. Taking a walk in the woods with our loved ones can benefit our health in four ways:
- Sunshine can increase Vitamin D levels and can boost immune system function.
- Exercise can slow down brain aging and increase immune system function.
- Forest baths can boost natural killer cell function.
- Social interaction with loved ones can increase oxytocin and can also benefit immunity.
3. Listening to soothing music can be relaxing.
4. Avoid blue light, which may cause sleep issues and also hurt the eyes.
The Longer, the Better?
The longer one sleeps is not necessarily the better. The extreme condition of sleeping too much and for too long is also associated with higher levels of CRP and IL-6.The length of high-quality sleep varies from person to person. One has to find the best length for him/herself.
Our human body is like a small universe. As long as we align our own life schedule with the external cycle of the earth orbiting the sun, our small universe will be synchronized with the external bigger universe, and we will be all set. One way to do this is to try to go to sleep not too long after sunset and wake up when the sun rises.
Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.
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