Even as the course of the Coronavirus pandemic continues to stretch, a Royal Philips study has found that the pandemic has affected the sleep quality of the majority of people from around the world. The survey which got in touch with about 13000 adult respondents spanning over 13 countries found that 70 percent people have experienced one or multiple sleep challenges since the start of the pandemic, the World Economic Forum reported.
Teofilo Lee-Chiong, M.D. from Royal Philips was quoted as saying that people have felt that they are not sleeping enough and for many of them the pandemic has negatively impacted their sleep cycle. While 70 percent of the respondents said that they have encountered some sleep related issues during the pandemic, 37 percent of the respondent specifically pointed out that the pandemic has negatively impacted their ability to sleep well.
The survey which was conducted in the wake of the World Sleep Day which falls on March 19 also found that more people took refuge in meditation, soothing music, reading, among others to cope up with their sleeping problems. In comparison to the last year survey, this year’s survey found that more people were opting for varied strategies to enhance the quality of their sleep.
The study also found that women respondents more likely suffered from the sleep challenges and deterioration of their sleep pattern. As highlighted by several studies and evidence, the women respondents are more likely to have undergone the worst impacts of the pandemic.
Various surveys have highlighted that many women had to quit their professions to shoulder the increased burden of domestic chores and taking care of children and male members of their family during the lockdown. Reports of women making more distress calls to police, women rights organisations and other authorities also surfaced as women faced more instances of domestic violence, sexual abuse and mental torture at the hands of the male members of the family.
