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2021 Sleep Prioritization Survey Shows Increase in Sleep Problems and Insufficient Treatment

By Admin     

This year’s Sleep Prioritization Survey, conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), shows a high prevalence of sleep problems yet a reluctance on the part of those affected to seek proper treatment. According to the survey, more than half of Americans questioned say they have experienced increases in sleep disturbances since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a problem sometimes referred to as “COVID-somnia.” Yet despite these chronic sleep problems, only 20 percent of those affected indicated that they would seek help from a sleep health professional. This has prompted the AASM to issue press releases on the safety and importance of sleep health care. 

“Sleep is essential for overall health, well-being and safety, and there are many options for patients to receive sleep care safely,” Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula, chair of the AASM COVID-19 Task Force and associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania stated in a recent press release on the issue. “I urge patients to avoid delaying care for sleep disorders, which can lead to more serious health problems if ignored or left untreated,” Dr. Durubhagavatula said. 

The takeaway, according to the AASM, is that people need to take sleep problems more seriously, especially during a global pandemic. The longer a sleep problem or disorder remains untreated, the more likely it will lead to further health problems that in the long term can be more damaging and much more difficult to treat. 

About the Survey

The 2021 AASM Sleep Prioritization Survey questioned over 2,000 adults in the United States between March 11 and 15 of this year. Conducted with the help of research consultant company Atomic Research, the survey focused on sleep problems during the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of sleep disorder diagnosis and treatment. According to the survey, 56 percent of Americans have experienced insomnia symptoms during the pandemic, including sleeplessness, fatigue, and daytime sleepiness. At the same time, when asked what steps they would take if they thought they had a sleep disorder, only 20 percent of respondents would contact a sleep center for help. While roughly half of those questioned said they would at least contact their health provider if a sleep problem persisted, 37 percent said they would do online research first, and 29 percent would simply wait for their sleep to get better. That’s nearly two thirds of the respondents who would delay the advice of sleep health professional. 

Even among those survey respondents who claimed they would seek help from a healthcare provider if a problem persisted, there seemed to be inconsistencies in their responses. For example, when asked whether or not a respondent had ever discussed a sleep problem with a medical provider, 50 percent answered that they had never discussed sleep problems with a medical provider. Given the number of sleep problems reported, it is likely that a majority of respondents remained untreated for repeated sleep disorder symptoms. When asked what factors may have influenced their decisions to delay seeking help for a sleep problem, respondents mainly cited financial problems (38 percent), COVID-19 safety concerns (37 percent), but some mentioned a lack of familiarity with sleep centers (29 percent), accessibility (23 percent), and concerns about access to treatment (20 percent). 

In addition to using online research as an alternative to professional help, many respondents reported using over-the-counter or prescription sleep aids to help them sleep at night. Over half (51 percent) reported using sleep aids of some kind during the pandemic, and of those who used them, nearly all (95 percent) claimed to use them regularly, including 68 percent who said they used them more since the pandemic began. 

A Message From the AASM

As a result of this survey, the AASM has published statements regarding the safety and importance of sleep disorder treatment. According to the statement, sleep health centers are safe, effective, and affordable. But the alternative, not seeking treatment at all, can be extremely costly. “When left untreated,” the authors state, “sleep disorders can lead to negative health consequences and increased medical and safety risks, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, depression and even traffic accidents related to drowsy driving.” But treating the symptoms quickly and effectively can not only improve your health, but increase your energy, alertness, and concentration, as well as your mood and quality of life.

Sleep centers can even use convenient home-testing options such as sleep apnea tests, snoring meters, or telehealth communications to work with you as well as your primary physician or other medical providers. According to the AASM’s Sleep Prioritization Statement, published in response to the survey’s results, “sleep is a biological necessity, and insufficient sleep and untreated sleep disorders are detrimental for health, well-being, and public safety.” And to address the issue of sleep health during the current pandemic, “there is a significant need for greater emphasis on sleep health in education, clinical practice, inpatient and long-term care, public health promotion, and the workplace.” 

About the AASM

Established in 1975, the AASM is currently one of the largest sleep-health organizations in the country, with a combined membership of 11,000 individual and group members, including some to the top physicians, scientists, and sleep-health specialists working today. The Sleep Prioritization Survey is the AASM’s annual survey addressing the most significant sleep-related issues of the current moment in history, with an end goal of promoting the group’s central mission, “to advance sleep care and enhance sleep health to improve lives.” 

Sources

American Academy of Sleep Medicine - https://aasm.org/

Atomic Research - https://www.atomicconsultants.com/

AASM Insomnia Awareness Press Release - https://aasm.org/insomnia-awareness-night-to-shed-light-on-impact-of-sleeplessness/

AASM Treatment Resources - https://aasm.org/treating-sleep-disorders-is-safe-and-effective/

AASM Sleep Prioritization Statement - https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.9476

AASM Sleep Prioritization Survey - https://aasm.org/about/newsroom/#039d84c1a517fad86