A major study from Denmark reveals that if you’re finding it harder to sleep lately, you’re not alone. A silent epidemic of insomnia is spreading and may worsen, particularly in developing countries.
Scientists from the University of Copenhagen analyzed data from sleep trackers of 47,000 volunteers across 68 countries, correlating it with demographic data and 21 climate models. They concluded that a clear wave of insomnia is on the rise.
The cause of this mysterious “insomnia epidemic” is not lifestyle habits or the use of phones and computers, as we often assume, but stems from a more universal issue: climate change.
Are you having restless nights? You are not alone, as a “global insomnia epidemic” threatens us all (Image sourced from the Internet)
Billions of sleep measurements analyzed in the study indicate that climate change contributes to an average of 11 sleepless nights per year for people worldwide. If the situation worsens, by the end of the 21st century, each person could lose 58 hours of sleep annually.
According to Science Alert, climate change accompanies global warming, where natural temperatures exceeding 25 degrees Celsius begin to affect sleep. On very warm nights, above 30 degrees Celsius, sleep duration decreases by an average of 14 minutes; while temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius increase the likelihood of sleep lasting no more than 7 hours.
The minutes of lost sleep may not seem significant, but over time, they can negatively impact health and productivity, according to a paper recently published in One Earth.
Moreover, this average loss of sleep is not evenly distributed. While some cooler climate countries manage to cope with global warming, their citizens still enjoy comfortable nights and the ideal 8 hours of sleep; countries severely affected by heatwaves will face heavier and more obvious losses.
In low-income regions or countries, where access to cooling resources is limited, the “insomnia epidemic” is undoubtedly more severe.
“Our bodies are highly adaptable to maintain a stable temperature, which is essential for all living activities. However, every night we perform a critical function unknowingly, which is to dissipate heat to the surrounding environment by dilating blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow to the hands and feet,” explains Dr. Kelton Minor, the lead author of the study.
Excessively high ambient temperatures disrupt this heat dissipation process, especially on nights when heat is accompanied by high humidity. This hinders the body’s recovery even during the hours we manage to sleep, leading to discomfort, difficulty sleeping, and poor sleep quality.
The authors emphasize the need for a global study in the future to systematically assess the potential impacts of climate threats on human health, particularly regarding seemingly unrelated factors like sleep, especially among vulnerable populations.
This study once again highlights the effects of climate change and the urgency of phasing out fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and implementing measures for environmental protection and restoration.
