[Health Tip] Increasing Number of People 'Unable to Sleep'... "Identify Causes and Maintain Regular Habits"

Last year, the number of patients treated for sleep disorders reached 1.1 million, marking a significant 28.5% increase compared to four years ago. Notably, those aged 60 and above, who experience the most pronounced physiological changes related to sleep, accounted for more than half of the patients.

The National Health Insurance Service recently revealed these findings after analyzing health insurance treatment data from 2018 to last year for patients diagnosed with 'sleep disorders (G47, F51).' Sleep disorders collectively refer to various conditions related to sleep, including insomnia, sleep-related breathing disorders, hypersomnia, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, and sleep-related movement disorders.

The number of patients increased from 855,025 in 2018 to 1,037,603 in 2021, surpassing one million for the first time, and further rose to 1,098,819 last year. The average annual growth rate during this period was 6.5%. By gender, the number of male patients increased by 33.6%, from 355,522 in 2018 to 475,003 last year, showing a higher growth rate compared to females, who increased by 24.9% from 499,503 to 623,816 during the same period.

By age group, those aged 60 and above accounted for 51.2%, more than half of the total. Specifically, the 60s age group was the largest with 252,829 patients (23.0%), followed by those in their 50s with 207,698 (18.9%), 70s with 184,463 (16.8%), and 80 and above with 124,759 (11.4%).

Professor Lee Jeong-seok of the Department of Psychiatry at National Health Insurance Ilsan Hospital commented on the age distribution, saying, "Physiologically, as people approach their 60s, it takes longer to fall asleep, the number of awakenings during sleep increases, and the total sleep time decreases." He added, "These physiological changes continue until the 60s and then remain relatively stable with age, making the 60s the age group that experiences the most significant physiological changes in sleep." Furthermore, he explained, "The 60s is a period when many experience major life changes such as retirement and the onset of various physical illnesses, which can cause significant stress in daily life," and "these physiological changes and stress can trigger sleep disorders."

The health insurance medical expenses for patients with sleep disorders are also rapidly increasing. Medical expenses, which were 152.6 billion KRW in 2018, surged to 2.85132 trillion KRW last year, with an average annual growth rate of 16.9%. Correspondingly, the per capita medical expense rose by 45.4%, from 178,000 KRW to 259,000 KRW during the same period.

Professor Lee stated, "Sleep disorders can arise from a wide variety of causes," adding, "changes in sleep schedules or environments, or stress can be causes, and additionally, various internal medical problems or psychiatric disorders can also induce sleep disorders."

Sleep disorders are diagnosed by evaluating factors affecting sleep through interviews, such as bedtime, wake-up time, the number of times alcohol or caffeine-containing beverages are consumed, and daily physical activity. In particular, detailed interviews are necessary to check for other psychiatric disorders, and if needed, polysomnography, psychological tests, and laboratory tests can be helpful.

For treating sleep disorders, it is essential to identify and eliminate the underlying causes. For example, if irregular sleep and wake times cause the disorder, establishing a regular sleep-wake pattern is important. Any underlying mental or physical illnesses should also be treated, and in some cases, short-term use of sleeping pills can be beneficial.

Professor Lee advised, "To prevent sleep disorders, it is recommended to avoid naps, maintain a habit of going to bed and waking up at regular times, and engage in consistent moderate exercise," but cautioned, "it is best not to exercise right before bedtime." He also added, "The bedroom should be used exclusively for sleeping, and watching TV or using smartphones in the bedroom should be avoided," and "alcohol, smoking, and caffeine can all interfere with sleep, so it is advisable to avoid them as much as possible."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.