Science & Technology

4 ways the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we sleep | Sleeping With Science

Have you been having weird dreams lately? For many people, that’s just one of the ways the COVID-19 pandemic has altered their sleeping habits, says sleep scientist Matt Walker. From when to how much to how well we’re sleeping, this pandemic may have shaken up bedtime for good. Sleep — we spend one-third of our…

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Have you been having weird dreams lately? For many people, that’s just one of the ways the COVID-19 pandemic has altered their sleeping habits, says sleep scientist Matt Walker. From when to how much to how well we’re sleeping, this pandemic may have shaken up bedtime for good.

Sleep — we spend one-third of our lives doing it, but what exactly do we get out of it? And how can we do it better? In this TED series, sleep scientist Matt Walker uncovers the facts and secrets behind our nightly slumber. (Made possible with the support of Oura) Check out more episodes on TED.com:

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48 Comments

  1. Iama freespirit

    December 22, 2021 at 3:54 pm

    Yep, it also helps your sleep if you don’t have electricity and you go to bed with the chickens (I find it difficult to stay on the perch at night😂).
    I have been getting a lot of sleep since I went off the grid, i only use a battery to charge up my phone so I can watch important videos like this one!
    I also use my battery for my CPAP machine…what more do I need?

    • Efrain Juanes

      December 22, 2021 at 5:55 pm

      Lllll

  2. Rapperdonut

    December 22, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    To follow his metaphor:
    Im off lifesupport

  3. Heshan Mithuranga

    December 22, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    Amazing Video as Always! Love from Sri Lanka!

  4. George Gates

    December 22, 2021 at 3:58 pm

    Not a “pandemic” , a scamdemic. A virus with a 99.8+% survival rate is no reason to let the government take control of every aspect of our lives.

  5. Jay Alcantara

    December 22, 2021 at 4:02 pm

    As an insomniac, I saw no difference

  6. DetroitMicroSound

    December 22, 2021 at 4:07 pm

    I’m a post-immuno lung cancer patient. I went from sleeping 6-7 hours nightly for many years, to now an average of 9 hours a night, and I stay up until midnight or 1, normally.

  7. Madd Maxx

    December 22, 2021 at 4:11 pm

    Pandemic?… Or lockdowns?

  8. RRIDAFITNESS

    December 22, 2021 at 4:17 pm

    👋👋🏽👋🏽👋🍒👍👍🏽

  9. 🎯Motivation Bay Channel

    December 22, 2021 at 4:17 pm

    6 Ways To Give Your Mind A Break:

    1. Stop stressing
    2. Stop worrying
    3. Give rest to the problems weighing you down
    4. Lighten up
    5. Forgive yourself
    6. Forgive others

  10. iloveyouamberappel

    December 22, 2021 at 4:26 pm

    Interesting. Nothing has changed for me at all. My work is required to be there. It hasn’t changed, haven’t had any forced days off and haven’t been sick.

  11. iloveyouamberappel

    December 22, 2021 at 4:26 pm

    Interesting. Nothing has changed for me at all. My work is required to be there, it hasn’t changed. Haven’t had any forced days off and haven’t been sick.

  12. SCAM DEMIC

    December 22, 2021 at 4:31 pm

    Corona virus is a scam

  13. Area Akhil

    December 22, 2021 at 4:37 pm

    i love this guy and this series

  14. Nonya Businesd

    December 22, 2021 at 5:43 pm

    Such b.s. unsubbed

  15. Love Me

    December 22, 2021 at 6:03 pm

    Excuse me sir for every action regardless of that action there will be a reaction in which every time I drink a glass of water there will be a reaction however the benefit of antivirus protection and booster booster shot it is necessary for mankind and the benefits outweighed the small defects therefore it is just a matter of time all humans on the planet Earth will receive the antivirus injection and any necessary booster shot and all will behave in a law-abiding manner any resistance it is futile due to the facts New World Order will be enforced thank you

  16. oto turmanidze

    December 22, 2021 at 6:05 pm

    i had less strange weird unexplained dreams than now and yeah sleep really changed

  17. SUCCESS STORIES WITH SAHIL

    December 22, 2021 at 6:15 pm

    Sleep is the most important thing

  18. Home Wall

    December 22, 2021 at 6:42 pm

    If you follow the news, you won’t be able to sleep because the corporate media working with fascist government instilled fear and obedience without having any solutions or even accepting the notion you control your own body and life.

  19. Ana Herrera

    December 22, 2021 at 7:19 pm

    Yes … I can relate to his insights.

    But becoz of this pandemic, I have WEIRD hours … wake early (4/5 AM), then sleep earlier (9/10 PM). Also, no more IN PERSON events … dont nd to be UP early to prep & commute, I do sleep more. 😁
    Yes, it is important to sleep … to recharge or rest. Part of SELF CARE.

  20. Remy Lebeau

    December 22, 2021 at 7:57 pm

    Notice the blatant evil? He just assumes that boosters will go on forever and people will still be happy to take the poison.

  21. Herr Name

    December 22, 2021 at 8:07 pm

    Without this video I wouldnt have known this.

  22. Toni

    December 22, 2021 at 9:43 pm

    I see nothing to do with the shot, just the timing and the work load.

  23. Eli

    December 22, 2021 at 11:24 pm

    Why is he talking in the past tense like the pandemic has ended? Wierd.

  24. No one star

    December 22, 2021 at 11:41 pm

    I’ve NEVER slept well. Probably ever, especially since my childhood, when I broke my collar bone and was basically told to ‘suck it up’. I went to bed in extreme pain, but… figured it was just normal for young boys (who wanted to be ‘MEN’) to deal with such things. Anyhow. That was decades ago.

    NOTHING has improved my slumber. Melatonin (extreme amounts) kinda-sorta help, but… not really. 2020 and 2021 didn’t help in the least. Too much to even explain, but… the pandemic was the VERY LEAST of my worries.

    LOL. I have no chance. 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

    • Me Here

      December 24, 2021 at 1:59 pm

      I’m assuming you’ve tried sleep meditation videos/podcasts?

  25. Lisa Love Ministry

    December 23, 2021 at 3:14 am

    1 Peter 3:15 🎁
    “But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect,”

  26. Andre Simon

    December 23, 2021 at 4:21 am

    Hey TED are we done with these yet?

  27. Ayat Ullah

    December 23, 2021 at 4:34 am

    And my exciting sons all in Corona new and just funny we in meeting relief realized and participate and funny dengerous talks the oops opinion and regular no puzzle notice v solving cuz one of them said a lot of tasteless weakened and orals bloodline and twinkle twinkle 🤩 still and funny and beautiful mood afterwards and cognate and food mood so much when he feels appitite and doxycycline and extra penadol and no tension . trusted imunology get serums hope and forgotten cells accept wishpointofvuew

  28. mike bar

    December 23, 2021 at 4:46 am

    I’m nothing with out my 12hrs 😜

  29. Susan Pell

    December 23, 2021 at 5:46 am

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      December 23, 2021 at 6:06 am

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      December 23, 2021 at 6:27 am

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      December 23, 2021 at 6:29 am

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    • Linda Raymond

      December 23, 2021 at 6:31 am

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  30. Daxter T. Snickers

    December 23, 2021 at 11:59 am

    So what youre saying is, if i get up early i dont see my dreams?
    Marvelous, i will try that out.

  31. M W

    December 23, 2021 at 4:34 pm

    In this “pandemic”, absolutely NOTHING changed in my life. I just kept doing the same things i always did. No problems, not one. No masks, no shots, no problems.

    • a h

      December 23, 2021 at 6:55 pm

      Must be nice being in a country with no cases. Where are you?

  32. Donavan B LoForte RPN, RCRT, LCRT

    December 23, 2021 at 11:03 pm

    Human Hibernation is Awesome!

  33. Dawn Davidson

    December 24, 2021 at 8:23 pm

    “Revenge of the night-owls” — haha, so true! I’ve always needed more sleep — 8.5 hrs has been typical for me most of my life, and about 7 hours is a minimum — and vastly prefer a late-shifted schedule. The “psychic noise” is so much less at night! I can force myself awake early when I have to travel, for instance, but anything requiring me to be awake before 7am on a regular basis is just not sustainable long term. Being able to get enough sleep on a regular basis has definitely improved my mood, especially after my anxieties were calmed by getting the vaccinations and boosters. I hope that more acceptance of the diversity of sleep styles remains a part of our culture, along with remote working and less commuting. I think it’s healthier for everyone. I look forward to seeing future studies on sleep and driving safety, for instance. I bet they’ll find less road rage, and fewer accidents overall, if folks aren’t so sleep deprived all the time. Thanks for sharing!

  34. Mary De Alvia Pitman

    December 24, 2021 at 9:45 pm

    In my life, not really. Quantity and quality has been continuous for the last 4 years. I still go to bed and work in the office at the same time as before. My dreams are actually more centred around people I don’t necessarily see very often and I probably remember just as many, if not more than I did a year ago. I am also still waking as many times in a night…so not much change here, on a personal level

  35. Mary De Alvia Pitman

    December 24, 2021 at 9:47 pm

    With the lockdowns, etc. People have more likely gone back to their more natural rhythms since they aren’t being woken by alarms and not necessarily working so late into the night AND THEN having to drive home, since they’re already there

  36. Amélie Zh

    December 25, 2021 at 10:48 am

    I had covid, and I am sleeping better

  37. L T

    December 26, 2021 at 12:45 am

    watching this at 2 am

  38. Explicitnice

    December 29, 2021 at 12:35 am

    Thats cool and all, but I doubt most people reported being happier during the pandemic, which sorta leads to the conclusion that sleep isn’t a magic cure all for happiness (though it does play a part, and I say this as someone whose mood changes drastically based on sleep)

  39. Invox

    December 29, 2021 at 3:07 pm

    My sleep got considerably worse because of “night-owls” and “coroninsomia”.
    Because I live in an apartment building with 8 college students (4 above, 4 below) and college classes were remote and pubs were close, they spend all their time (and their friends) at home.
    Before Covid I got sleepy and got to bed around 11:30PM or 12PM, now I only go to bet around 1AM and sometimes only at 2PM.
    Constant noises of people talking or furniture moving around has made me develop a severe case of paranoia that lead to anxiety and ence insonia.
    This was made worse by construction work that started nearby and a “warning horn” that rang constantly.
    I had to talk to the construction guys and during these Holidays most have left and it is quieter but because this was recurrent for months, I still have lots of problems going to sleep and can’t remember dreaming in quite a while.

  40. Connie Combs

    December 29, 2021 at 8:55 pm

    I heard this guy on the Hidden Brain podcast, and all his claims about the deadliness of losing sleep freaked me out. Then the Maintenance Phase podcast did a deep dive on his research/methodology and now I dont trust a word he says. Not sure why he is still considered an expert.

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