Impact of COVID-19 on Sleep and Role of Yoga as a Non – Pharmacological Intervention

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic vastly affected the mental health of people causing psychological distress with problems as emotional disturbance, stress, mood alterations, anger, depression, irritability, confusion, emotional exhaustion, emotional isolation, insecurity, social stigma, post-traumatic stress symptoms, insomnia reported in almost all sectors and strata of the society globally. The impact of ongoing mutations in the nature of the SARS COVID -2 virus, changing presentations of the disease, ongoing disease and deaths, quarantine, isolation, post COVID complications, lock-down, socio economic crisis all have impacted the mental health of people negatively having a major brunt on the sleep. Sleep is a vital biophysiological phenomenon playing a crucial role in systemic physiology, including metabolism, immunity, endocrinal, brain and cardiovascular functions. Disruption of sleep is related with both short-term as well as long term consequences, ranging from increased stress responsivity, mood disorders, impaired cognition and performance, somatic problems like headache, abdominal pain to hypertension, dyslipidemia, CVD, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and increased risk of cancers and death. Studies have reported mental health and sleep to be affected by COVID-19 in general population as well as in health care workers. Mental health and sleep are deeply interrelated with one affecting the other and also the general health, healing and quality of life of the individual. Still, sleep remains to be an underrecognized component of health as concerned to its management. This paper presents the impact of COVID – 19 on sleep form the studies documented and how yoga can be an effective non-pharmacological intervention for prevention and managing the sleep disturbances.