The season of tropical nights and insomnia has arrived, summer. During humid and hot summers, even people who usually sleep well may suffer from insomnia. Tropical night insomnia can be alleviated by creating a comfortable sleeping environment, but if the situation is unfavorable or if sleep problems persist despite improving the sleep environment, it may not be a temporary phenomenon.
Seasons and temperature are closely related to sleep. According to Professor Ting Cao's team at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China, the thermal environment during sleep significantly affects sleep quality. The research team investigated the relationship between sleep thermal environment variables in winter and summer and the quality of sleep.
As a result, a sensation of heat at 20°C in winter and 26°C in summer was found to be perceived as thermally neutral. These are the temperatures at which each individual feels comfortable sleeping.
The research team explained, "The cold and humid environment during winter has a serious impact on deep sleep," and "While mild temperatures that contribute to good sleep quality in summer may weaken the effect of humidity on sleep, temperatures beyond that can disrupt sleep."
According to Director Shin Hong-beom of Cosleep Sleep Clinic, when the quality of sleep declines due to insomnia, fatigue accumulates and the biological rhythm is disrupted, which can lead to various complications.
If insomnia persists, it can lead to depression by making normal daytime activities difficult, as well as causing decreased motivation and memory decline. Additionally, stress caused by insomnia can worsen symptoms, creating a compulsive obsession with "needing to sleep," which can further exacerbate the symptoms.
If it takes a long time to fall asleep or if you frequently wake up even after falling asleep, it is likely to be insomnia.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is recommended as the primary treatment for insomnia. Insomnia cognitive behavioral therapy is a treatment that corrects false beliefs about sleep and bad habits that continuously interfere with sleep, helping individuals regain the ability to fall asleep.
Director Shin explained, "Insomnia can be caused by poor lifestyle habits, but it often persists due to obsessive thoughts about sleep and negative perceptions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is non-pharmacological, is recommended as a safe treatment with no side effects."
Director Shin advised, "Disrupted sleep rhythms caused by tropical nights can develop into chronic insomnia," and added, "If you are suffering from insomnia despite sufficiently improving your sleep environment, it is advisable to check your sleep condition through a polysomnography."
