The security tension increases the use of sleeping pills and anti-anxiety drugs

In times of war, when the alarms interrupt the routine and the nights are also tense and unpredictable, many have difficulty falling asleep or maintaining continuous sleep. The constant feeling of alertness and the fear of another alarm harm the quality of sleep, and in many cases lead people to turn to the doctor for help.

“Compared to normal days, there is now a 30% increase in demand for over-the-counter drugs for sleep and anxiety, and an increase of about 15% in such prescription drugs,” Pepo updates. “The public has a pious discipline, he gets up several times at night when there are alarms, and then it’s hard to fall asleep later, at night or during the day. In this round, sleep problems are more emphasized, although anxiety problems are also on the rise.”

It will calm down, not blur

The company’s customer service, she says, receives many calls these days, which describe various phenomena: “There are those who are not calm, who jump at every slamming of the neighbor’s door. There are people who do not sleep well, who are unable to fall asleep for fear of being woken up by the alarm at any moment, nor are they able to sleep after the release notice. We also receive a great many calls from exhausted parents, who are taking care of their children, or themselves. Many people are now dealing with chronic stress that is much more damaging Systems in the body, including sleep. There are also conversations in the center with people who are obsessive news consumers, those who are in front of the television until 2 in the morning, and then cannot close an eye and fall asleep. You can hear in their voice the accumulated fatigue they are dealing with.”

Biba says that people these days “call to ask for quiet. They ask for something that will calm them down, but not blur them, because they want to be able to function and run to the emergency room or the shelter in the middle of the night.”

According to him, since the corona virus, there has been a significant increase in sleep disorders in people: insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty maintaining a sleep sequence, multiple awakenings and early awakening.

“We witness this, of course, even now, in times of war,” he says. “When the body is under continuous stress, the nervous system is in a state of hyperarousal even at night. This makes it difficult to fall asleep and affects the sleep sequence. People enter superficial and insufficient sleep, and then the body also fails to carry out the essential recovery processes. It also affects daily functioning. People report excessive fatigue during the day, a decrease in concentration and memory. Lack of sleep can affect the mood, increase the level of stress, anxiety and depression. In the long term, this can also damage the immune system.”

The condition also affects the children’s sleep. “The secretion of the growth hormone is carried out mainly during deep sleep,” explains Dr. Mahamid. “When we talk about a decrease in the quality of sleep among children, for example as a result of multiple awakenings at night due to the alarms, there is an impairment or disruption in the secretion of the growth hormone. It may even affect normal growth and development processes. Therefore, for both adults and children, we say that if the condition of difficulty falling asleep lasts for at least three to four weeks, it is recommended to seek the advice of a sleep specialist.”

According to the data of Klalit Health Services, since the beginning of the “Harry’s Roar” operation, there has been an increase of approximately 5% in the dispensing of prescription anti-depressant and anxiety medications, and a 4.5% increase in prescription sleep medications. “In a state of low mood, prolonged stress, anxiety, difficulty falling asleep, people start looking for solutions,” says Dr. Mahamid. There are different medications – those that induce deeper sleep, and those that can improve sleep but not induce particularly deep sleep.”

In any case, before starting this or that drug treatment regarding falling asleep and sleep, Dr. Mahamid recommends observing sleep hygiene: “For example, reduce watching the news in the evening, try to maintain a basic daily routine, do sports as much as possible. It is also recommended to stop consuming screens at least an hour before bed, and to sleep in total darkness in the room. Also, don’t eat a big meal before bed, and avoid coffee, tea and alcohol at least six hours before bed. In alarm situations, a person has to be able to wake up.”