(STUDY FINDS) – Even the most optimistic observer will likely admit it’s been a rough few years across the United States. Between the COVID-19 pandemic, never-ending political turmoil and polarization, and sky-high prices, Americans have had plenty of valid reasons to feel stressed out lately. Now, new research indicates exorbitant stress and worry is keeping roughly a fifth of Americans up all night.
After conducting a national survey, researchers from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center report that close to one in five respondents struggle to fall asleep at night.
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“Here at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, there was a 29% increase in referrals for insomnia from 2018 to 2021,” says Dr. Aneesa Das, professor of internal medicine, in a media release. “Stress can increase your heart rate, increase your blood pressure, make you have an upset stomach and cause muscle tension. All of those things increase our alertness, making it harder to fall asleep.”
