The World Health Organization (WHO) indicated and reiterated in its latest annual reports the important problem that 50% of the general population suffers from problems falling asleep, generating a variety of diseases derived from poor sleep.
To a large extent, insomnia is generated by the nocturnal distractions prior to rest generated by the use of electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets and computers, as well as by viewing television series and movies late at night. This problem is also associated with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and depression.
Constantly looking at the clock causes insomnia
A study led by Spencer Dawson, an adjunct clinical professor and associate director of clinical training in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University, in the United States, ensures that looking at the clock while trying to Falling asleep aggravates insomnia and would cause an increase in the consumption of sleeping pills.
The data was based on a sample of almost 5,000 patients who completed questionnaires about the severity of their insomnia, the use of sleep medication and the time they spent monitoring their own behavior while trying to fall asleep.
“We found that the time spent monitoring behavior primarily influences the use of sleep medication because it exacerbates symptoms of insomnia,” said Dawson, who further said that “people worry that they are not getting enough sleep, so, he starts calculating how long it will take him to go back to sleep and when he has to get up.”
The specialist indicated that this is not the type of activity that is useful to facilitate the ability to fall asleep, since the more stressed we are, the more difficult it will be for us to fall asleep. Research published in The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders indicates that a simple behavioral intervention could help those with insomnia.