17 mars 2023
For one in three French people, the quality of sleep has deteriorated in recent months. This is one of the many lessons from the survey by the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance / MGEN, published on the occasion of the 23rd sleep day organized this Friday, March 17.
37% of the 1,000 French people questioned by Opinion Way for the annual survey of the National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance (INSV) and the Mutuelle générale de l’Education nationale (MGEN) deplore it: lately, the their sleep quality deteriorated.
And this does not surprise Dr. Marc Rey, president of the INSV: in addition to the work in staggered hours which is becoming widespread and harms a good quality of sleep, there are many concerns, linked to “the series of crises that we have been going through since the Covid and which have an impact on the daily lives of the French (war in Ukraine, rising prices, concerns regarding pension reform, etc.)”.
Anxiety-depressive disorders and sleep
However, it is a fact, anxiety, depression and sleep do not mix and feed each other. According to the results of the survey, women and young people are on average more anxious than the rest of the population (39% of women and around 41% of 18-34 year olds, compared to 31%). And they are also those who report the most nocturnal awakenings (91% once morest 80% of all respondents), insomnia (35% once morest 20%), and poorer quality of sleep.
People suffering from depression also report sleeping less well than average, and, like those with anxiety, often use medication to help them sleep. It’s a false good idea, says Dr. Isabelle Poirot, psychiatrist specializing in sleep disorders and member of the INSV: “These people anticipate poor sleep; taking hypnotics will reassure them but will not cure their disorder”.
To improve the quality of sleep, it is therefore better to adopt good habits in order to regulate our sleep/wake rhythm, the famous circadian rhythm, and thus preserve our mental health. Check out these video tips:
To note : And to better understand the links between sleep and mental health, visit the site of INSV. On the occasion of the 23e day of sleep, many appointments are offered throughout France, both face-to-face and online.
