Sleep Awareness Week 2021 – Insomnia

For Sleep Awareness Week®, Dr. Michael Breus, a board-certified clinical psychologist and also known as “The Sleep Doctor” discusses insomnia, the causes, and what some experts are calling “coronasomnia” due to the psychological effect of the pandemic on sleep.  Through Merck’s “Why So Awake” program, Dr. Breus is helping adults implement lifestyle changes and encouraging them to talk to a health care professional about steps they can take to get more sleep.

Dr. Michael Breus, also known as “The Sleep Doctor,” is a board-certified clinical psychologist who has been seeing and treating people struggling with sleep disorders like insomnia for more than 23 years. In working with his patients, he knows firsthand how frustrating it can be to struggle to fall asleep, or stay asleep, night after night. He’s written several books (Good Night, The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan and The Power of When), lectures all over the world and is often seen in the media leveraging his expertise in sleep medicine to help people understand the signs of insomnia, the potential physiological causes, and how to work with a health care professional to develop a personalized management plan. While up to 48% of older adults experience insomnia, Dr. Breus wants Americans to not accept it as a normal part of aging. That’s why he’s working with Merck on the Why So Awake program, to encourage people to address their insomnia by making lifestyle changes and talking to a health care professional about steps they can take to get more sleep. On the website, people can access a helpful quiz, a discussion guide to use during their next doctor’s appointment, and a Breaking Up With Insomnia webinar series featuring expert insomnia tips that will launch in the next few weeks.