On World Sleep Day, Dr Maria José Masdeu explained that, although in general, Spanish people sleep between seven and eight hours, which is higher than in the United Kingdom, Portugal or Germany, between 6 and 10% of the population suffers from insomnia. This problem is more common among women and people with a low socioeconomic status and “can occur at any age, but is usually diagnosed in older adults.”

The lecturer from our Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine warned of the consequences of chronic insomnia, since it causes “a deterioration in quality of life and work performance, and an increase in the risk of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.” She therefore pointed out the importance of seeing a doctor when insomnia “has an impact on an area of a person’s life, not only health, but also at a personal and professional level.” To avoid reaching such extremes, she called for “education and public awareness policies, which demonstrate that sleep is the fourth cornerstone of health, along with diet, exercise, and mental health.” She also stressed the need to continue to provide future healthcare professionals an overview of sleep medicine.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in sleep problems among the population, mainly related to “the new living conditions that it has imposed on us, such as spending more hours locked in the house, using electronic devices, and unable to exercise or maintain a social life.” According to Dr Masdeu. 

On childhood insomnia, the teacher pointed out that between 10 and 30% of children suffer from it, and it is associated with more frequent requests for parents in bed or at night. In the case of adolescents, studies indicate a prevalence of 3 to 12 %, depending on the criteria used, with a higher frequency among girls after puberty.